What Can We Say, We're Classy Girls
by longliveSiriusBlack
Summary: Riley Lightmen and Aoife (Ee-fa) Nicklin are hunters with magic blood flowing through their veins. A chance encounter with Winchester brothers and their angel Castiel sends their worlds into spirals in this romantic comedy as they battle the forces of hell along side them.
1. 001: Riley Playing Nice

Riley didn't really play nice with anyone unless she had good reason to, like when Aoife decides to be funny and plays pranks on her. Like when she'd mind tricked her image to make herself look like IT the clown and then jumped out on Riley while she was target shooting. She played nice and acted like it didn't effect her, acted like the prank was funny and laughed at her oldest friend. On the inside though, Riley had already murdered Aoife ten different ways, all of them involving a different location and a goat. When she met the Winchester brothers though...they were making it extremely difficult to NOT shoot them in the face...until the ammo runs out. Especially Dean, with his infuriating remarks and obnoxious way of trying to take control of every situation. Sam wasn't as bad as Dean, but his "I want to make all my wrong deeds right" act made her want to punch him in the happy place. Granted they are excellent hunters, and they have only tried to kill them twice...so far. Riley just really wished they would either lay off, or except that the girls are so not going any where. (Also that the girls have much better aim then they do, duh!) She will admit, to anyone who asks, that the angel Castiel was starting to grow on her. It helped that she had a giant soft spot for wounded puppies with big blue eyes, but it was nothing romantic, Cas made her want to hug him 'til his head fell off and he stopped breathing.

Aoife had her make-up kit on her lap, as she sat next to her in the passenger seat of her beloved Mustang. Her lips were painted a hot, devil red that fit her perfectly. She was working on her eyes, applying a light shade of purple with a hint of black, so that her chocolate eyes shined brighter then Riley's own deep blue eyes. The radio was playing one of their favorite songs, Crazy Psycho Love, and Aoife was singing along perfectly. Her voice hitting all the right notes and dipping at the perfect time. Riley on the other hand was singing loudly and off key, a very dying cat like tone over lapping Aoife's beautiful voice.

"Can I ask you something?" Riley finally said once the song ended and Aoife reluctantly let Riley turn it to a country station.

"Totally!" She pulled her mascara out of her bag, and Riley made a scrunching face.

"Why are you putting on make-up? Sweetie we are getting ready to go against a horde of vampires...not hot college boys." Aoife gave her a sideways look, the kind of look that always made the boys swoon.

Riley just looked back at the road and waited for an answer, "Because...i want to look nice for the vampires." The mahogany haired girl answered her best friend. She had finally finished with her make up and was brushing out her hair. It fluffed out nicely, in a way Riley could never get hers' to do, she pulled a piece of it back and pinned it to the side of her head.

Instead of commenting on her sister's words, Riley just looked ahead and stared at the back of the Impala. The brothers were leading them to a nest of vampires that had taken control of the town. It took them a good while to get Sam to agree—due to some thing that happened in the brother's past with vampires—so once it was proven that the vampers were attacking the humans in the local town of Biswell, Colorado, the group set out on tracking them down. They found the nest about four miles out of town, in a backwoods, rural area where trees and nature attacked the surrounding area. Aoife and Sam spent close to two days tracking it down, looking through newspaper traces, maps, and even used a blood trace on a surviving victim to track the vamp itself. Dean and Riley nearly had shared happy dances when the two nerds yelled out that they "Found it," or in Dean's words, "Pinned those bastards down."

The Impala's left turn signal indicated that Riley should click hers on. She saw Aoife shift her make-up kit from her lap to the dash, and placed a worn out messenger bag over her legs. She pulled out a long carved blade, and a jar of dead man's blood, followed by Riley's choice weapon. A sickle that was stained black, and had her initials and a silver heart etched into the blade. The two girls gave each other a wicked smile. Riley parked her Mustang next to the brother's delectable car, and climbed out with a smirk on her face. They were hidden pretty well into the woods so that they were covered perfectly and no one, not even a vampire, could make out their cars. Dean looked at Riley with the same smirk on his pout lips, his deep hazel eyes glinted with adrenaline the same way Riley's did.

"You girlies ready?" Dean asked in his all to cocky tone that wrapped his every word. Aoife handed Riley her sickle and smiled over at the brothers. Her beautiful face highlighted by the sun rising on the horizon, her chocolate eyes held Dean's for a spilt second then she looked away and bore her eyes into Riley's.

"Bring it." Aoife said with so much enthusiasm it made Riley burst into a rare smile of laughter.

The nest was a worn out farm house, that once had been very elegant and glorious but time beat it down and called it its own. The boys rounded the back, their gun held up and aiming for anything that had fangs. The girls slowly stepped onto the porch with slow careful steps that were soundless, they both had their chosen blades in their hands and the pressure of a gun pressed into their backs. Aoife made a twirling motion with her index finger, Riley gave the back of her head a strange look. Aoife turned to look at her sister and let out an exasperated sigh, "Check the windows along the porch, I'm going to try the door."

"Why didn't you just SAY that then." Riley bit at the shortest of the two.

"I wanted to be silent about it."

"Well, don't because when you try to be silent, I get confused." Riley stepped towards the windows and heard Aoife mumble something, "What?" She eyed her dear friend, who shrugged and grabbed the door knob. She twisted it and then froze, jiggled it, pulled it, pushed it and then finally just glared at it. Riley looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "Problems?"

Aoife frowned, "It won't open."

"Did you ever think it was locked?" Aoife looked dejected and gave a small, laughing smile at her sister.

"Never crossed my mind..." Riley face palmed herself and turned away from her, "And YOU'RE the smart one." She stepped up to the window again and touched it with her palm. A face popped up and Riley let out a very pitched yelp, she fell backwards and landed on her butt. Her heart pounding as she looked wide eyed at Dean who was silently laughing. He slid the window up and leaned against it cockily, his smirk wider then usual and his arms crossed over his chest. Riley stood up and wiped down her bum, ignoring the throbbing pain that told her it was definitely bruised.

"The house is clear..they got wind that we were in town and moved on. Sam said he could probably track them down again but we thought about just moving on and hitting a few more cases that we have lined up." He was still smirking and still looked like he was king of the world. Aoife walked up to the window and leaned against the frame. Disappointment showed on her face as she slid her knife back into its sheath, her eyes fell on Riley and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.


	2. 002: Aoife Soul Sisters

Ten years ago.

Aoife glanced at the clock over her shoulder nervously. Her sixteen year old body couldn't handle all of this anxiety and excitement. She'd just gotten home from a year long road trip with her best friend—and soul sister—Riley and her Uncle Leo and Aunt Gramma. She hadn't seen her brother in what felt like an eternity. Her brother had always been her rock, and she never thought she'd be able to leave him for more than a few days and was severely shocked what she did.

She'd called him a few days before she'd landed in Nashville. He'd said that he had something for her when she got home and that she would love it. Riley had gone home to freshen up, so she was stuck at her house—in downtown Shelbyville and near the square at that—while her brother was at—what should be—work. She remembered his work hours well. The last time she checked, he was supposed to be home by three o'clock, and it was three o'five. Yes... Maybe she was over reacting, but she missed him. She missed him terribly.

She sighed and glanced at the clock one last time before she jumped to her feet impatiently. As she began to pace, she heard a pair of wheels hit the gravel at the start of the drive way. Her heart and stomach lurched as her head whipped toward the front windows. She bounced happily as she darted over to the pair of wide window frames and pushed away the curtains. An excited giggle jumped from her mouth as a dark teal, 1970's F100 Pickup truck rolled up the drive way. The door opened and a tall, lanky, dark haired male—much like Aoife in likeness—waved to his sister whom he noticed peaking through the curtains.

She let loose a high, squealing giggle and jumped clean over the peachy Victorian couch on her way to the door. Her hand gripped the antique brass door knob and yanked open the warm oak door. Her brother was slowly ambling forward while stuffing his keys in his pocket. When his bright chocolate eyes looked up, they landed on the petite girl standing in front of the door on their old, rickety porch, and his lips spread into a wide grin. She bounced on the balls of her feet as he stopped, holding his arms out for her. A wide smile spread across her pretty face, warming her stomach as she charged across the porch, jumped over the steps, and stumbled in a run toward her brother's open arms.

She collided with him in a pouncing run, wrapping her arms around his torso. He wrapped his long arms around her and spun her around in the air. "Hey, sis." He chuckled in her ear.

"I missed you so much!" She chimed, burying her face in his chest.

"I missed you too, Aoife." He kissed the top of her head before pushing her away, "Want to see what I got you!?" He kneeled down to her height, easily the same height. Aoife nodded happily, "Good!" He chimed, his chocolate eyes alive with excitement. "Stay here, and close your eyes." Aoife's mouth popped open to argue, but her brother gave her the authoritive, raised eyebrow look that made her stop.

She sighed and obliged, bouncing slightly from excitement, brushing her long, mahogany hair behind her ears when it occasionally fell in her face. She could hear wheels on gravel, but she knew she couldn't assume that it was a car.

A hand pressed against her arm, making her jump. "Keep you're eyes closed..." Her brother muttered. He guided her forward, hands over her eyes so that she wouldn't be tempted to peak. She kept asking him questions so that she could guess, but he would skirt around answering, giving her cryptic answers that only made her more impatient.

After walking up the driveway, she was stopped suddenly. "Alright, you can look now."

Her eyes flickered open and her chocolate orbs found the beautiful vehicle before her. A handsome, deep blue-violet 1999 Jeep Wrangler with a leather interior sat in the driveway before her. Her white-blonde, sixteen year old best friend—and soul sister—Riley sat in the passenger seat dramatically motioning to the car, with her feet propped up on the dash.

Riley's wide, cocky smile was aimed at Aoife. "It was a bitch to get through the lock on the back door. What, you afraid of robbers?" Her crooked smirk twitched as her eyes glinted with a hidden joke that Aoife's brother wouldn't understand. Aoife's smile grew slightly forced, knowing her late parents wouldn't want her to have followed in their footsteps.

"What do you think?" Her brother's broad smile was shining beside her.

"Oh, Oliver..." Aoife trailed off as she looked over her jeep. "I-I love it so much! She's so pretty!"

"Why thank you..." Riley chimed arrogantly. Aoife just rolled her eyes stroked the hood, "So pretty..."

"She isn't exactly new, but the paint job turned out really well." Her brother laughed.

"How does she run?" Aoife giggled, her chocolate eyes glinting happily.

"Like a beaut'." Oliver said, hugging his sister into his side and admiring the Wrangler. He pulled a key chain out of his pocket and placed it in his sisters palm. "Wanna take it for a ride?" Aoife squealed and grabbed the keys, opening the jeep door, climbing in, and starting the car. She and Riley rode through the streets of Shelbyville, greenery and the slightly faded buildings of the historic district flying past them before they reached the modern parts of town.

Three Years Later.

Aoife stared blankly at the face of the man in the coffin in front of her. Her black dress adorned with black lace hung from her body sadly, her face and veil mirroring the air of dread that floated through the funeral.

Her chocolate eyes yearned for the warm chocolate of her pale, lifeless brother lying in the silk-lined casket to meet hers. She felt a hand on her shoulder and a pair of deep blue eyes met hers. Riley's normal tomboyish outfit was traded in for a simple black dress. Her white-blonde hair was pinned back by a black veil that draped over her long bangs. The deep blue eyes that bore into hers were filled with comfort and warm understanding.

Tears bit at the corners of Aoife's eyes, but she couldn't let her brother see her cry. Not here. Not now. Her eyes burned, but her strength could waver now. Not here... Not when she was about to do something so dangerous...

After one last glance at her brother, Aoife turned away and walked through the crowd of people. Many giving their condolences and apologies. Even a grim smile from a good friend, A girl with flaming red hair and grey eyes. Riley followed at her side, hand-in-hand with her soul sister. She would never leave her side after this tragedy.

They stopped at the trunk of her '99 Wrangler. Aoife unlocked it and lifted it, propping it up to keep it that way. Her petite hands felt around for the opening for the secret compartment on the floor. When she found it, it too was propped open. Rows of weapons: curved, straight and even jagged knives, guns of many sorts, and numerous other weapons scattered in neat rows.

She picked up a knife and fingered the blade, her eye burning again. "You want some help?"

Aoife turned around her eyes on her best friend, "You don't-"

"No. I know where this is going, Aoife." Riley muttered, a determined expression plastered on her face. "Don't you dare say that I don't understand. I am going with you to hunt this bastard down." Aoife opened her mouth to argue, "Do you want to catch the ass hole that killed your brother or not?"

"Y-"

"Duh, of course you do." Riley waved off her attempt at answering. "Now, I am going to help you, whether you want me to or not. If you have a problem with it, you can just suck it."

Aoife smiled gratefully, a dreadful warm feeling surging through her stomach. She hadn't smiled in days... Not since her brother was murdered... Her eyes began to flood with tears as Riley wrapped her arms around her. Silent sobs rocked her as she cried into her sister's collar bone.

"Th-thank you." Aoife whispered.

"Always."


	3. 003: Riley Demons

22 years ago.

Pokemon cards covered the toddler's room, mixed with stuffed animals and clothes. Two toddlers sat on a bed, the mahogany haired child pushed a pokemon at the white/blonde haired toddler. The white/blonde haired child kept pushing her hands away. Ponouncing loudly that pokemon was lame and she wasn't.

The mahogany haired child defended her beloved, "lame" game, and pushed her friend off the bed. "Ow, Ef!" She exclaimed loudly. She had knocked over her dresser, the large sign depicting her name. The blood red 'R' landed on top of her head. Riley shoved it away, whilst rubbing her crown.

Aoife was holding in laughter, a very large feat for a four year old. She covered her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut, so she didn't see Riley crawling under the bed. When Aoife finally surpassed her bubbled laughter, she opened her eyes to see if Riley was okay, jumping in fright when her closest friend wasn't lying on the ground any more.

Moving to the foot of the twin bed, she looked down to see if she had moved there. No such luck. Riley wasn't anywhere in the room and fear was forming inside of Aoife, "R...Rilez?" She spurted out her friends name, terrified that a scream was going to be an answer, "Riley Luciana?" Her little fist balled up and she felt a tear trickle down her cheek, "Ri-AHHH!" A hand grabbed her mouth and pulled her to the ground. She was pulled under the bed and struggling against the person's hand. Her tears falling freely now, so that they blurred her vision and made her even more scared.

"Dingus." Riley's voice pierced her ears. Her child like words making Aoife heart slow down. Aoife wiped her eyes and looked forward at her friends, a smile painted Riley's round face, her deep blue eyes shining with glee at her success.

"Meany." Aoife lumged for Riley, which was very difficult to do under a childs bed. The smallest of the two friends ended up hitting the leg of bed. Riley laughed loudly, clutching her stomach and rolling out from under the bed. She moved out of the way as Aoife reached for her legs, Riley barked more laughter when Aoife hit her head trying to get from under the bed.

"What's going on in here?" A sweet, southern drawled voice made Riley jump. Both toddlers looked up to a white/blonde haired lady, who smiled down at the girls. Green eyes flashing in love and admiration at her daughter, "Mama!" Riley sprinted towards the women , whom opened her arms to the little girl.

"I wanted to come kiss y'all g'night, but i don't think you are quite tired yet," She nuzzled Riley's cheek with her nose

"Is Daddy home yet?" She asked her Mother. Ginny Lightmen carried her daughter to her bed, lying her next to her best friends daughter, "Mama?"

"Not yet, sweet heart." She kissed her daughter's head, then Aoife's, "He'll be back soon. Now sleep. You're suppose to go to the library with Gramma tomorrow." She told her. Riley and Aoife snuggled together adn told Ginny they loved her before closing their eyes and falling asleep.

A dead silence filled the house when Riley's eyes sprang open, her hair stood on end and her heart was thundering in her chest. Something wasn't right and she knew it. Slowly she climbed out of bed, so she wouldn't wake Aoife, she tip toed into the hallway. A bright light shined in her parents room, she walked towards the light with slow, steady footsteps, her fists balled up. Turning the corner she poked her head into their room. Her Mama's and Daddy's bed was empty, the T.V was off, objects placed in their normal haphazard way across the room. Riley took a step inside it, and felt a horrible cold feeling was out over her, "MAMA! DADDY!" She yelled out, "MAMA!" Riley ran from the room and searched the house. Her frantic screaming waking her best friend up. Aoife found Riley crying against the living toom couch, her deep blue eyes puffy and red, tears streaked her face and her white/blonde hair was matted to her wet cheeks. Aoife dropped next to her friend and wrapped her in a hug, pressing her cheek against her chest.

"Whats wrong?" She asked, sounding way older then she is. Riley mumbled something through her tears, "What?"

"Mama is gone."

14 years later

Riley kept her snarky comments to herself; People kept looking at Aoife like she was a poor, sad lost puppy. Her bestfriend, her sould sister sat next to her with a stoic look on her face. Riley didn't know what to do for her, didn't know how to protect her, or anything. Oliver was Aoife's older brother, her mother, father and protector. He was all Aoife had that came close to a parent. She didn't know how Aoide was going to make it through what they have to do. Revenge was to embedded into her mind and pain was to etched into her heart. Riley knew how she felt, to a degree, the same thing happend to her parents, The only difference was that Riley never got to see her parents again..or their bodies.

When Aoife finally got to see the body one last time, she stayed closed and cold. All Riely could do was show her that she would always be there for her, and never leave. She held her stance by Aoife's side through all the condolences and looks of pity. A familiar fiery red haired girl with striking grey eyes pulled Riley into a hug, "Be careful," She whispered to her. Riley squeezed her gently, then followed Aoife towards her Wrangler. Her decision to never leave her soul sister's side settling in her mind. Her and Aoife went through everything together: the disapperance of her parents, High School, boys, heartbreak, hunts and witch training. This was just one more thing they had to go through together.

Riley watched Aoife pick up a knife and finger it with tears in her eyes, "You want some help?" She asked her.

Aoife turned around her eyes on her best friend, "You don't-"

"No, I know where this is going Aoife," Riley muttered, a determined expression plastered on her face. "Don't you dare say that I don't understand. I am going with you to hunt this bastard down." Aoife opened her mouth to argue, "Do you want to catch the ass hole that killed your brother or not?"

"Y-"

"Duh, of course you do." She waved off her attempt at answering. "Now, I am going to help you, whether you want me to or not. If you have a problem with it, you can just suck it."

Riley felt her heart fill up with courage and knowing at her choice to always help her best friend. Aoife smiled gratefully, She hadn't smiled in days... Not since her brother was murdered... Riley wrapped her arms around her soul sister and allowed her to sob into her collar bone. Patting her back softly, and hugging her close feeling the overwhelming urge to baby her.

"Th-thank you." Aoife whispered.

"Always."


	4. 004: Aoife The Winchester Brothers

Five years later.

Aoife fiddled with her favorite curved knife, her fingers gently sliding over the blade as she rode next to Riley in her vintage Mustang GT. They had caught wind of a freaky yellow-eyed demon that had been wreaking havoc in areas nearby. Riley glanced over, her eyebrow raised with a skeptical expression on her face. "What?" Aoife muttered, reaching for her small makeup kit concealed in the dash.

Riley sighed shaking her head, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know how you feel about the makeup." Aoife rolled her eyes, "'I don't understand why you wear it.' I wear it because...well...I can." She shrugged it off.

Riley let out a sigh that shook from a soft chuckle. Aoife painted her lips with her regular devil red, and her eyelids black and a soft violet, highlighted with black liner. "So," She started, as she applied the eye shadow, "How do we nail this sucker?"

"Psh, you act like I even know." Riley's lips pursed in a playfully snarky way as her eyes turned to her friend for a brief moment.

Aoife rolled her eyes, laughing softly as she glanced out the front window. "Rilez, do you see this?" She pointed at another vintage muscle car, a Chevy impala sitting in the drive way of the house that just so happened to be their destination.

"Yeah." Riley's face hardened over into the hard mask she used whenever they were hunting.

"You don't think-"

"I don't know, Ef, but I'm not taking the chance." Riley's eyes hardened to a stony blue as she glared out the windshield.

"Do you really think a demon would drive an impala?"

"It'd be a waste of such a gorgeous car." There were hints of longing in her voice as she eyed the car. Aoife chuckled softly as Riley pulled the car up to the curb. Both of them stepped of the car once Aoife was done fluffing her perfect hair.

Aoife glided forward, the seemingly empty house left a resonating feeling in the pits of her stomach that told her that something was about to change their lives. She and Riley glided forward silently, keeping their eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary. The house seemed as though it had been recently been evacuated. Signs of life littered the short walk up the gravel walkway. Riley strut ahead of her quietly, allowing Aoife to watch her back as they approached the door.

The generically white front door was wide open. The half-screened door was slightly ajar, making Aoife's stomach churn uncomfortably. Riley gently pushed open the screen door, sending a wave of nausea over Aoife. She knew that something evil—a demon—had touched this house. Aoife shivered as her sister stepped through the door frame, giving her the feeling that they weren't alone.

"We aren't alone." Aoife's soft voice floated forward, but her breath caught in her throat when she heard the sharp creak of a floor board across the house.

"Split up?" Riley's deep blue eyes held hers long enough for a brief nod.

Aoife walked through the door, her fist gripping the handle of her glock. She stood at Riley's side for a mere second before her sister left her side. Aoife's eyes scanned the room looking for any sort of shift in atmosphere or movement. Her feet felt forward across the creaky wooden floors cautiously, her heart pounding softly. Her toes caught an uneven floor board as she reached a door frame at the opposite end of the foyer. She stumbled forward, managing to grip onto a table. This action dislodged a cheap flower vase and sent it hurtling to the floor.

"Shit—sisto!" Aoife's hand flew forward, only just stopping the vase before it hit the floor. "Crap." Her heart stuttered painfully as she reached for the vase suspended in the air.

"How did you do that?" A tiny scream-like squeak slipped through her lips and the vase crashed to the floor. Aoife jumped backwards, unable to stop a shard of glass from cutting her palm deeply. She glanced up, her eyes meeting a pair of hazel green orbs. A relatively, tall attractive man with auburn hair and pout lips stared down at her suspiciously.

"Ef! Ef! Where are you!?" Riley's voice echoed from the other side of the house, her footsteps sounding in the opposite direction.

Aoife stared into the man's eyes, her heart pounding nervously. She didn't dare answer her friend. Her right hand tightly gripped the hilt of her trusty glock, and her left hand tightly clenched into a ball in an attempt to stop the flow of blood from the gash on her hand. She grit her teeth and did her best to keep her head cleared and her thoughts away from the stinging pain in her hand. Her stomach churned, forcing the nausea forward.

"EF!" Riley's assertive voice was now layered with worry.

"I said, how did you do that?" The man put emphasis on every word. He pulled out a vintage colt pistol and aimed it at her.

"Dean—" An even taller man with long, dark brown hair froze beside the other. His green eyes were on Aoife after brushing over the colt. His eyes weren't nearly as untrusting as his partner's, but they were filled with deep caution.

"Where's the friend?" Dean's eyes didn't leave Aoife's.

"Across the house—is the colt really necessary?" Skepticism lightly powdered the taller one's tone.

"Ef!" Aoife's eyes flickered up as the tall, white-blonde haired girl slid into the room and stopped, her eyes on the vase. They traced her sister's frame, lightly lingering on her bleeding hand, only stopping once they reached the colt. Her glare was then aimed at Dean. "I suggest you aim that gun away from my sister."

"Is that a threat?" Dean's voice was layered with a hard edge as his glare moved to Riley.

"Easy Riley—" Aoife's heart thrummed hard as she awaited the inevitable fight awaiting them.

"No. Not until he drops the gun..." Riley's tone was just as stiff as Dean's.

Dean slowly moved forward his gun still held high. Riley stepped in front of Aoife, pulling her black-stained sickle from her belt. She held the knife to Dean's neck in the time that it took him to hold the gun to her forehead.

"Whoa, whoa now! Come on, Dean. Let's just talk this out." The taller one put his hands up in an attempt to soothe the situation. Aoife sighed, she knew her sister wouldn't give up that easily. She was stubborn and didn't trust very easily.

"Rilez, come on. It's not worth it." Aoife muttered softly, taking a quick step forward over the shattered vase on the ground.

"Yeah, why don't you put down your gun, Dean?" Riley sneered, her eyes narrowing.

"Why don't you drop the knife 'Riley'?" Dean barked sarcastically.

"What!? Don't believe that that's my name?" Riley's eyebrows shot up and her lips pursed.

"No I don't—" Aoife sighed.

"Damn it..." She muttered under her breath. She knew that there was only one way to end this. She turned to the taller man, pulling her glock from its holster.

"Come on now, not us too." He put his hands out in front of him as she aimed her glock up at his forehead. Her aim was at a much less of an advantage than Riley's. She was at least several heads shorter than him; therefore, she did not pose much of a threat.

"You'll be alright, Sammy. She's too short to shoot you in the head." A smirk was plastered on Dean's face, his eyes flickering to Sam's face. "At least defend yourself. Pull a gun or something, brother."

Aoife shot a glare at Dean and then decided that he was right. For a brief second, relief washed across Sam's face as it seemed that Aoife was dropping her gun, but it was short lived as her aim pointed below the belt. "Tell your brother to drop his gun." She ordered softly.

"D-Dean, drop your gun." His eyes flickered to his brother nervously, almost as if they were afraid to lose sight on the glock that was aimed at a very vital region.

"Back off it, Sam." Dean's eyes didn't leave the white-blonde haired girl's gaze. Aoife's hand didn't move, her aim unwavering.

"Dean. Drop your gun." His tone was slightly more urgent than before.

"Back off, Sam."

"Dean! Drop your gun!" Sam's voice was slightly raised, his mouth a nervous, thin line.

"Back off, Sam!" Dean raised his voice to match his brothers.

"Dean! Drop the damn gun!" Sam was now shouting, his eyes still nervously darting between his brother and the glock in the short woman's hand.

"Sam—son of a—" He stopped the instant his eyes caught where Aoife was aiming. "Okay, okay..." His colt pulled away from Riley's forehead and was raised over his head in a surrendering position, "Come on now! He needs that."

"Put the gun away." Aoife ordered, her voice soft and polite.

"Alright, alright..." He placed the gun back into its place in his belt, "There, you happy? Now call off your she-witch over here." Riley's glare pierced Dean as her fist tightened around her knife.

"Rilez..." Aoife cautioned softly. A curt grunt was her only reply. "Put away your knife." Riley let out a protesting growl, but Aoife stood firm. "Riley..." This time, she obliged, placing it in its respective place in her belt.

"Well, now that that's over..." Dean sighed, looking at the two girls in front of him. "I'm Dean Winchester. This is my brother, Sam." He motioned to Sam, who was now standing beside him.

"I'm Aoife—" She ignored her sister's protests, "This is my soul sister, Riley. Nice to meet you." She smiled a dazzling smile. The kind that Riley always said made the boys swoon.

"Hi. Now that the introductions are out of the way, I just want to know one thing." Riley nodded curtly, "How did you do that?" He pointed to the vase that still lay in shards on the floor. Riley's eyes held Aoife's with critical questions in her eyes. Aoife turned away from her sister, unable to tell her that she'd accidentally let Dean witness her magical ability.


	5. 005: Riley Greener Minnesota

Four months later.

Riley death gripped her steering wheel, knuckles turning white in frustration. A dead air stood around her, and she felt the hair on her arms stand on end. No matter how hard they tried to get away from the damn Winchester brothers, THEY JUST KEEP COMING BACK! So, Aoife thought it would be a "smart" idea to just stay with the brothers.

"They could come in handy," Riley mimicked Aoife's voice, "They could help us fight this thing." She rolled her eyes and sneered into the night.

—Cuz, when I think about/I think about seven—"Hello." Riley didn't look at the caller i.d.; Aoife, Gramma, and Joe were the only ones who ever called her.

"Hey, You and Dean there yet?" Aoife's high, youthful voice asked her. Riley made a face and glared into the rear view mirror. The Impala's headlights flashed at her, and she melted at the car. "Ri?"

"No, we just passed the junction on Highway 22. Aoife, I don't feel comfortable doing this." She loomed into the rear view mirror again before turning her eye back to the road. A soft sigh filled Riley's ear, irritating her to the core.

It was bad enough that they were hunting a confuser demon, but having to go into a location alone with Dean Winchester—God just strike her down. She didn't trust them, and she was pretty sure they were trying to kill them. Ever since the first night they met the brothers and Aoife accidently let Dean see her do magic, it felt like the Winchester's soul purpose was to piss Riley off. They kept watching their every move, waiting for Aoife and Riley to go all Hocus Pocus on their asses.

"Riley?"

"Yeah," Riley jumped back into the real world, "Yeah..."

"I think we can trust them. I mean, there has to be a reason as to why we keep crossing paths with them–"

"Because they're stalking us," Riley cut in; Aoife snorted over the phone. An image of Dean and Sam wearing camo with night-vision binoculars strapped the their faces and hiding in the bushes, shuffled into Riley's mind. This time it was her turn to snort, but hers was with laughter.

"Not funny."

"Yes it was."

"No it wasn't."

"Only because you didn't see the image that I saw. So funny..." There was a short pause in conversation as Riley turned down the old farm road that lead to the farm they were investigating.

"Let me guess, Dean and Sam with binoculars, ducking in the bushes." Aoife spoke up with a smirk evident in her voice. Riley's face flushed blood red, and she frowned.

"...No."

"Just stop complaining and get on with it." Aoife ended the line, hanging up on Riley, who threw the phone down in the passenger seat irritably.

She pulled into the drive of the farm with an angry bubble in her chest. Sure, the brothers MIGHT be useful, but... "Ahh!" She pounded her fist on the Mustang's steering wheel. "Stupid Winchesters, stupid demon, stupid, stupid, stupid!"

Dean held his gun up, his father's journal tucked into his jacket pocket. The farm house was two-stories, five rooms with indoor/outdoor plumbing and a reputation for satanic rituals. Riley's hands were sweating from the dark magic wafting through the room. It tingled across her skin, pooled inside her stomach and made her headache. A low thrum overrunning the house let Riley know that the confuser demon was lurking around and waiting to play.

Riley held her sickle close to her chest, she inched toward the stairs on the opposite side of the living room. There were no photos on the walls, no furniture, no sign that 'human' life held residence here. The stairs creaked beneath her feel as she slowly stepped up them.

"Light." Riley whispered, never really being into the foreign languages—or 'original languages' as Aoife called them—for spells. A ball of flashed in front of her head. She carefully walked up the stairs, only to stop at the top and frown.

A white/blonde haired woman stood in front of her, a smirk firmly in place. Her deep blue eyes flashed with the magic light above them. The mirror image of Riley crossed its arms over its chest. A small wave rippled through it, showing that the image was slightly transparent. Riley swung her sickle forward through the image. It disappeared in a cloud of vapor, a shrill laugh filling the air and playing with Riley's mind.

"Smooth." Dean's voice sounded behind Riley. She spun around, her sickle raised high. He leaned against the door frame with a cocky smile wide on his face. His gun was tucked into his waist band, arms hung loosely at his side, and his hazel eyes held Riley's deep blue orbs.

Riley stepped toward him, a smile now on her face. The demon could confuse people by changing its image and sending the false appearance to the minds of others.( Sam and Aoife's explanation had been much nerdier, so Riley simply dumbed it down.) Though they may waver slightly, the image could feel as real as the human. Riley stood close to "Dean" with her left hand inside her coat pocket. "Dean" smiled, shifting his position so that his chest stood flush against hers.

"You don't think the demon will mind if we take a few moments for ourselves, do you?" She pulled her hand from her coat pocket, her breath slowly mingling with "Dean's" If it answered the way she thought it would, then she would know that it wasn't the real Dean.

"Well, as appealing as that offer is, there's a demon here," He moved away, a smile tugging on his pout lips, "but I'll keep that in mind." He walked toward one of the doors lining the left side of the hall. Riley sneered but followed after the cocky hunter, her sickle raised in readiness.

Dean slipped into one of of the doors on the left side, so Riley slipped into the one opposite of it. A small bed was shoved into the corner of the room, a moth eaten quilt covering it. An old broken dresser was lying on its back, the drawers strewn across the room. Riley felt her insides steel up at the thought of the possibility of this being a child's room. A child who could have been subjected to this...

"You okay?" Dean spoke behind her. She felt her heart twist up as she moved to the dresser, "Riley." This time, she turned around. There were four "Deans" standing arrogantly around the room, smirks pulling up all of their pout lips.

Riley's eyes narrowed into slits, her sickle squeezed tightly in her fist.

"Oh Riley, you look so sad. It's not like the child suffered, in fact, she enjoyed it." The "Dean" to the farthest left of the room smiled darkly at Riley. She thought of fire burning bright inside her hand, her free hand burned hot.

"I believe little Riley here is upset, mad because her heart beats for someone it should not," The "Dean" closest to the door eyed her. Riley mentally pulled her magic into her sickle, feeling it spark in her hand, "but we all know baby hunter Dean will never want someone like Riley,—" She moved to look at the one on the far right, his foot propped up on the broken dresser, "Someone like Aoife though—" Anger coursed through her and spiked the magic in her weapon, "she's someone Dean Winchester would want. Beautiful, talented, and all the guys want her, right."

One of the "Deans" stepped toward her. An evil smirk twisted onto his lips, it kept moving until it was face-to-face with her. Riley felt it trying to push into her mind, play with her and break her down.

"You see, the thing is," She sliced her sickle across its stomach, the mirror image of Dean hissing at her, "I don't care." She swished around, aiming her hand high at the images. The fire lashed across them making them hiss viciously and disappear. She ran from the room yelling out the exorcism in an attempt to get rid of the damned thing. When she reached the living room again, something slammed against her back and knocked her forward. Riley went sprawling down the remaining stairs. Her head banged against the edge of the staircase, feeling the blood raise up. Her vision went fuzzy, and a loud ringing piercing her ears. She looked up toward the ceiling, the last thing that reached her vision were a pair of worried hazel colored eyes.

Aoife's voice was the first thing she registered. Singing, high voice, careful and peaceful. Aoife's singing always reminded her of comfort and home...Always reminded her that there is something better out there...

"Dude, my head hurts." Riley groaned as she lifted herself up. The sun was coming up and over the horizon, bright with annoying cheer.

Aoife laughed, "It could be because you racked your head against the stairs, dingus." She lightly touched her friend's back in order to keep her steady on the Impala's hood. Riley groaned again, rubbing her forehead, "Dean got rid of the demon."

Riley's eyes opened again, glancing from Aoife to the house. Dean stood on the porch, arms crossed over his chest. Riley's eyes met his and gave him a silent "thank you." His hazel eyes flashed and he mouthed, "Always."

"Okay, so the Winchesters ain't THAT bad."


	6. 006: Aoife Like a Child

Two Years Later, Current Day.

"The house is clear..they got wind that we were in town and moved on. Sam said he could probably track them down again but we thought about just moving on and hitting a few more cases that we have lined up." He was still smirking and still looked like he was king of the world. Aoife walked up to the window and leaned agaisnt the frame. Disappointment showed on her face as she slid her knife back into its sheath, her eyes fell on Riley and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.

"Well, what do we do now." Aoife's question was directed at her white/blonde haired sister. The darkness within the house had passed, settling her nerves.

"I dunno, I guess we go back to the motel." Riley muttered, "And when we get back, remind me to get some ice. My ass hurts." Aoife laughed so hard her stomach hurt as she escorted Riley to the car. Even sounds of laughter could be from Sam and Dean behind them. As they got into the car, Aoife could could hear words that sounded like, "Your fault," mutter from her soul sister's mouth as Riley glowered at Dean.

They drove back to the motel room in their temporary residence in the tiny town of Biswell, Colorado. Once they'd put some distance between Riley and Dean Winchester, she began to loosen up. Aoife couldn't help but find Riley's bruised bum humorous. She was still chuckling—stomach still tight—by the time they reached their motel just a little ways into the town.

"Would you stop laughing at me!" Riley grumbled playfully, attempting to stop the corners of her mouth from turning up by pressing her lips into a firm line. Aoife wiped the tears prickling at the corners of her eyes as her hand reached for the passenger door handle.

The instant her fingers touched it, every muscle in her body seized and every instict she had told her run. Run, far away and hide... Her stomach churned instantly forcing nausea forward. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and her heart stuttered painfully. Very painfully... Almost as though she would be thrown into a breakdown, but every part of her knew that she couldn't. Despite her shaking—which she did her best to hide from Riley—she pushed open the door and firmly followed Riley to the door.

The churning of her stomach calmed as she reached the door, her sister by her side. Riley unlocked and pushed open the door sending a sudden wave of prickling fear down her spine. Riley's head whipped around when Aoife let out an uncontrolled, shocked yelp. Her deep blue eyes probed Aoife's as she did her best to wrack her mind for a cover up that was believeable.

"I-I stubbed my toe." Aoife mumbled laughing awkward. Her stomach dropped as Riley's face curled into a smile that didn't touch her eyes. She hadn't bought it, but Aoife knew Riley well enough to know that she wouldn't bring it up for a while. Aoife glanced into the studio style motel room as Riley walked through flicking on the lights.

"You know you can come in right...?" Riley sprawled out on her bed as she watched her with a playfully snarky smirk on her face.

"Duh." Aoife rolled her eyes and forced her foot through the doorframe. Her stomach settled slightly once she got over the doorstop.

"Since your up, could you get me some ice. My butt really hurts..." Riley sighed, rubbing her behind. Aoife nodded, her heart lightening from soft laughter. She closed the door and got her sister the ice. Her stomach fluttered as she handed her sister the ice pack.

A knock sounded at the door, and Aoife answered it. She met Dean's smirk. "Are you going to invite me in?" Aoife couldn't help but return his smile.

"Are you going to accept it if I say no?" Her nerves were momentarily calmed as Dean let out a chuckle. She never understood Riley's distrust of them. Dean had always treated her like a sister, and even though he had remarked on her beauty, she had a feeling that he would never feel anything romantic for her.

"Where's Sam?" Aoife glanced around outside.

"He's coming. Can I come in or not?"

Aoife sighed sarcastically, "I guess." She started to step out of the way when Riley's voice reached her.

"Don't let him in!" She groaned, "Do you want me to die?" Aoife rolled her eyes and laughed it off before she stepped aside. "Traitor!" Riley grumbled. Aoife chuckled as Dean stepped through the door shortly followed by Sam.

"How's your-" Dean choked down a laugh, "-your ass?" Riley shot a dark glare at him, pressing the ice to her bum.

"What do you think?" She sneered. Aoife laughed and sighed as she walked to her bed.

She barely made contact with her bed when ever part of her screamed for her to run once again. The last time she'd felt like this, she was a scared five-year-old sleeping with her mother because she thought there was a monster under her bed.

"I-I'm going to take a shower." Aoife's shaky hands grabbed her large duffle as she darted into the bathroom. As she locked the door, she could hear Sam's muffled question.

"Is Aoife okay—seems jumpy?"

Aoife leaned against the door for support, her knees weak. What was wrong with her? She was perfectly fine before she and Riley had gotten back to the motel room. She felt even more like a child in a twenty-six year old's body than ever before. Aoife stumbled across the room and started the water, taking mere moments to strip and step into the warm stream.

She let the warm water untense her muscles, to wash away the anxiety twisting her stomach. Her heart accelerated, adrenaline pumping throughout her body. Her hair stood on end and the feeling that something evil was close. She washed herself and her hair quickly as the dark, expectant feeling churned in her stomach. She breathed deeply as she reached forward to stop the water, when the lights flickered and turned off.

Aoife glanced around, her heart quickening to a panicky thrumming beneath her chest. This room had no widows and the door was seamless so light didn't escape from the other side. Her shaky, petite hands groped around klumsily in the dark, eventually feeling around the tub to the edge. As she carefully began to step over the edge, something brushed by her leg instantly making it recoil and a scream ring through the air.

Moments Earlier.

Dean settled into a cheap arm chair across the room, his smirk aimed at Riley, who held the ice pack to her bum. Riley's dark glare was aimed at Dean as Aoife crossed the room. Her face was oddly distracted, but Sam seemed to be the only one that noticed. Aoife barely made contact with her bed before she was on her feet again.

"I-I'm going to take a shower." Riley's eyes left Dean's and every eye was on the petite mahogany haired girl darting across the room. The door shut behind her and then the click of a lock sounded.

"Is Aoife okay, she seems jumpy?" Sam's eyes lingered on the door, his eyes edged with worry.

"I don't know." Riley muttered over the water turning on from the next room over. The room filled with silence for a few moments, but it was short lived as a low voice sounded out of nowhere.

"Dean." Riley practically—almost comically—flipped off the bed and landed on the floor with a yelp.

"Do you have to do that everytime!?" Riley pushed herself off of the ground, a look of dignified annoyance on her normally smug face. Her annoyance didn't ebb at the serious look in Castiel's eye.

"What is it this time Cas...?" Dean sighed.

Cas didn't pay attention to Dean, his soft blue orbs were on Riley. "You don't feel the dark presence?" Riley's eye brow raised and she was about to question it when a feeling deep in her stomach stopped her.

"Something's wrong." She glanced nervously at the bathroom door. The feeling of dread and evil seeped under the door, when the lights went out.

Two calls of surprise rang through the air. Riley's, "Da fug—?" and Dean's, "What the—?" Sam stayed quiet as he walked across the darkened room. He disappeared into another part of the apartment for a few moments and returned quickly.

"Well, it isn't the breaker." He concluded.

Castiel's eyes were on the bathroom door just as a high-pitched scream rang through the air. Riley strode across the room in three easy strides and began to bang on the door. "Ef! Ef!" Banged a few more times with no answer, "Aoife!"

Dean jumped out of the chair, "Move." Riley jumped out of the way as Dean's foot collided with the door, sending it crashing in. The room was dark, but as it was slightly illuminated, Aoife's figure could be seen curled up—with her knees hugged into her chest—in the tub. The dark feeling in the atmosphere instantly disappeared, allowing the lights to flicker on.

Aoife glanced around nervously, her pretty face tearsoaked and her petite form shivering. Riley closed the door gently and coaxed her sister out of tub, helped her dress into comfortable pajamas, and coaxed her into the main part of the motel room.

"What just happened?" All humor was gone from Dean's voice and his face was grave.

"An evil entity touched this place," Castiel's voice was a gruff monotone, "What it was, I do not know."

"Well, we need to find this fucker before anything else happens." Riley grumbled, her arm around her sister's shoulders.

"Do we know where to start?" Sam asked.

"Not really." Dean retorted.

"I felt five again..." Aoife's normally sweet and confident voice was drained and dejected. Puzzled faces were mirrored on the brothers' faces, but Riley understood. Castiel's face was mostly emotionless, but hints of curiosity ringed his eyes.

"What?" Dean voiced their confusion.

"I'll explain later." Riley muttered darkly.


	7. 007: Riley The Oldest

Riley ran a hand through Aoife's, holding her sould sister close to her side. Castiel stood in the corner of the room by the t.v., his unearthly blue eyes trained on Aoife. Riley's eyes watched dean pace back and forth across the room.

"Explain to us again what this horrible, dark, evil thing is exactly and why it's here," Dean paused his pacing long enough to give Riley a strange look, "because I can't quite wrap my mind around it."

Riley took a shuddering breath, released it, then frowned. She tried her best to explain it. It wasn't like it was her creature, "We're witches," Dean's upper lip trembled in a sneer, "but we're not the kind of witches you're used to, we—"

"You guys are mixed witches. You're powerful and super dangerous, but you have humanity." Sam announced, walking from the bathroom. He put his gun on the extra bed in the room. Riley smiled sweetly and nodded.

"Exactly, so because of that humanity, certain things we do can...hurt us," she ran a soothing hand down Aoife's back. She buried her face into the blue eyed girls side, "when Aoife was younger, she was scared easily. Things frightened her no matter what Oliver, her mom, or dad did. There is something 'Mixed Witches' can do, it's a piece of our power that is amplified when we are children, where we create things, people—creatures from our subconcious. It starts out as nothing, just a—uh—small addition that we'd created, but...if it's fed—uh—given power; fuel, then it grows. like I said a bit ago, Aoife got scared easily, because of that fear, a creature was created."

Dead silence filled the air around the hunters and their Angel. It felt like an axe was looming above their heads, mocking them, telling them that if they even breathe, it would fall. Riley looked up from Aoife, and her eyes caught Dean's. He gave her a curt nod and sat down on the opposite bed. He reached forward and touched Aoife's calf. Aoife shivered then lifted her hear up to look at the room. Her chocolate eyes were red from tears, face puffy, and a dull look told Riley that her friend was still terrified.

Taking a deep breath, she continued explained. "We were too young to really be able to do anything about it. Two five year olds weren' able to fight a butterfly yet alone a creature. It didn't help that it was a creature morphed from Aoife's mind. It was completely subconcious, yet all too real, and we didn't know how to get rid of it. Aoife's mom and dad...I think they had an idea about how to get rid of it. They did for a small time, the only problem was that we ignored it—or really—left it be, so it was given time to get strong. Normally something we create goes away or just stays neutral, but this thing—"

Riley squeezed her eyes shut. Memories from that night twenty-two years ago ripped through her mind. She saw Aoife's mom and dad, Gramma and Joe, and their friend Ellis fighting it. She saw Mr. Nicklin being attacked, saw blood paint the walls and heard his screams fill her ears. A warm arm wrapped around her shoulder and her left side press against a strong body.

Her deep blue eyes glanced up at Sam's green ones. He gace Riley a sympathetic smile and squeezed her shoulder, "Go on." He whispered.

"I don't know for sure why it's back, but I think it is because...Something has been off about Aoife." She looked down at her friend. Aoife's red rimmed eyes were staring into the unearthly Castiel's. Her soft pink lips were frowning, and she was trembling against Riley's side.

"I do not believe it has anything to do with something wrong with Aoife," Castiel's gruff voice broke the haze around the hunters. Riley, Sam, and Dean turned to the Angel, giant question marks clear on their faces. The Angel said nothing else.

"Come on winged wonder, spit out what you think it is." Dean said.

Castiel gave him a stoic look and then looked back at Riley, "I believe it is here due to this town."

Dumbstruck is what Riley felt at Castiel's words. The Angel disappeared before Riley could speak, so she opted for staring at the t.v.. Her reflection stared back. A messy haired woman with a cut below her left eye and circles so dark she looked like ill imprinted her skin. She closed her eyes and focused on the warmth Sam's arm was giving her. She wanted so badly to cuddle into the warmth but a nagging feeling dug into her mind. It pulled her from her false comfort and made her jump.

Aoife was up too, her eyes just as wide as Riley knew her own were. The brothers looked at the witches, both of them on red alert. The sould sisters looked around the room. The axe was back...This time Riley could feel its sharp blade in her chest.

"Strength!" Riley yelled, her left hand rising in the air. a warm bubble filled the room and the axe ceased its haunting ways. Riley looked down at Aoife with a determined look on her face.

"Ef, love, I know your rattled and I can understand why. Right now, I need you to calm down. I can't feel it like you can, but I can sense something evil trying to return."

Aoife furrowed her brow, then sighed loudly, "You're right, sorry Rilez."

"It's okay, look, we all need to get some sleep."

Sam stood from the bed and made his way out of the room, Dean following him. Once the Winchesters were gone, Riley changed into a comfy pair of pajama bottoms and black tank top. Pulling a brush through her hair, she rethought what just happened. The creature from Aoife's past was back. The very creature that nearly killed her and her parents. Aoife was strong, but this was something that could easily break her. This...this could nearly kill her, and then where would Riley be.

"Stuck in a world with nothing to say," That's what Gramma would tell her. Riley couldn't lose Aoife, not this way. They'll fight this. Just like everything else that threatened them.

Two hours later...

A cold sweat drenched Riley and caused her clothes to stick to her uncomfortably. She swung her legs over the edge of the bead and put her head in her hands. This wasn't even her creature, yet it felt like it was tormenting her along with Aoife.

Looking over her shoulder at her best friend, she saw Aoife curled into a ball in her bed. The blankets pulled tight around her body and her head barely poking out from beneath it. Riley lifted off the bed and grabbed her converse. She made her way to the foor, silently opened it, then stepped out. The night sky was starless and a low breeze lifted her white/blonde hair off her shoulders.

Slipping her shoes on, she walked toward her beloved Mustang. Happiness digging its way into her heart at the sight of her most cherished possession. She slid her hand across the red paint and recalled when Uncle Joe surprised her with it for her birthday. It was one of the most awesome days in her life and she never thought she'd have that feeling again. She was right.

Opening the car door, she slid into the passenger seat, lifted her feet onto the dash, and rested her head on the seat. She always felt at home in the only sanity she had on the road. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself a false sense of comfort and protection

"Where's your jacket young lady?" Riley nearly screamed as Dean slid into the car.

Glaring at the hunter, she repositioned herself. Her feet dropped to the floor of the car, arms crossed over her chest and her deep blue eyes narrowed. Dean just smiled a sparkling smile and leaned back in the seat. His hands folded behind his head, and his eyes shined with amusement at the witch.

"What. Do. You. Want!?" Riley seethed at the Winchester. Dean gave her a sideways look that told her that he wasn't going to respond. "Look, I just want to be left alone, okay?" She hated that her voice sounded hurt and weak. No one could blame her for it, and if they did, those sons of bitches better start running.

A warm hand touched her thigh. She looked at it and bit her lip. Dean's calloused hand gave her unwanted strength and sent a chill up her spine. "I know what you mean." He moved his body to leave the car. Riley's hand shot out before she could think and grabbed Dean's shoulder. He peered back at her with a raised eyebrow. Riley slid her hand down to Dean's and grabbed it, "Stay." She frowned.

Dean leaned back in the seat and gave Riley a small smile. He intertined their fingers and placed their hands on the console between them. Riley looked from theur hands to Dean, his hazel eyes caught hers and she blushed. They both lie back after a heartbeat, their hands still held together so tight that they shook.

Both of them were the oldest, both of them were the most reserved, and even if they will never admit it, they both need each other more.

"Tell anyone and I'll kill you." Riley told Dean with a small smilel. Dean smiled too and laughed before closing his eyes and, for once, relaxing.


	8. 008: Aoife Monster Under My Bed

A meadow stretched around a mahogany haired girl as she sat in a patch of flowers. Her cotton white dress gingerly caressed the grass that she sat upon, and her pretty hair lay draped over her shoulders, tiny flowers interwoven in complex patterns between locks. Her petite hands delicately fingered the the petals of the flowers around her, her voice singing in a soft alto tone that suited the scene.

The sky was a beautiful blue, and the sun shone on the girl in a flattering manor, highlighting her bright chocolate eyes. Her soft, rosy lips forming the tune were pulled up in the corners as a smile accented her singing. Birds chirped in the trees, the grass hummed with a song, and the breeze whistled a merry tune as it drifted through the high grasses.

"Aoife." The girl lifted her pretty head to face the voice. A white/blonde haired woman walked forward. Her regularly rigid features supported a soft smile, and a similar cotton white dress accented her thin, hourglass frame. She kneeled beside the girl with mahogany hair, gently placing a long, elegant hand on her shoulder.

"Riley," Aoife sighed, her beautiful song ended as her chocolate eyes gazed into a pair of strong, deep blue orbs. "I'm happy you could join me." Her smile widened and a feeling of elation filled her stomach.

Riley's smile turned into a smirk as she slightly pursed her lips, "Don't get all mushy on me, Ef." A giggle leaped from Aoife's mouth as she smiled at her best friend—no—soul sister. The girl she went through everything with, and the girl she would love more than anyone else forever.

"How is Sydney?" Aoife sighs, "We haven't seen her in so long."

Riley's mouth stiffened into a sly smile, "She's dead."

Aoife's eyebrow arched and a playful smile tugged on her lips, "Come on, Rilez. I'm not kidding." A deep feeling of foreboding began to fill her stomach with unease as she stared deep into her sister's eyes.

"Neither am I." Riley chucked darkly.

Aoife's smile dropped, "It's not funny, Rilez. What's going on!?" A few clouds off to the distance began to darken into a deep, stony grey as they approached. A flash of lightning, and then a peal of thunder. Aoife hopped to her feet, her heart rate quickening to a terrified pace. The panic in her eyes was evident.

"A storm's coming Aoife." Riley's voice was unlike her own. While it sounded like the Riley she knew and loved, there was a sense of humanity that was absent. "If you aren't strong enough to brave it, then you will doom all you love." The emptiness echoed through her words as her serene face twisted into an evil smile.

The dark clouds began to twist and cover the sky, blackening out the sun and destroying the sunlight that once warmed the scene. Rain fell from the sky, first tiny droplets of what seemed like water, then in dense droplets of crimson that could only be blood. Aoife shivered as the bloody rain fell down upon her, staining her dress a deep crimson and coating her skin with a thick warm liquid.

Riley let out a high cackle, "Isn't this marvelous! The blood of all you shall doom soaking into you!" Tears bit at the corners of Aoife's eyes as they caught Riley's. The deep blue irises that once shone in her eyes were a glinting black with pupils of white. Her white/blonde hair matted to her face, sticky with the maroon liquid that trickled down her face. Riley now stood, "You are so young, so fragile, so breakable. Do you really believe that you stand a chance against me? That you can conquer me? That you can even resist me..." This creature was no longer her soul sister, its malicious eyes glinted with power and cruelty as its fingers stroked Aoife's cheek. "I will consume you, just as I will destroy you. You are my puppet, and your mind is my harbor." The lips of the girl Aoife formerly know as Riley touched her forehead, "Don't believe me? Your friend Riley is next..."

Aoife sat erect, tears streaming down her face and a high pitched, strangled scream ravaging her throat. Her hair was matted to her face and her clothes stuck to her as a sheen of sweat covered her body. The door slammed open and Riley rushed into the room, followed quickly by Dean.

"What! What! Aoife—" Riley rushed over and threw her arms around Aoife's shaking and screaming form, "—Ef what is it!? What happened,

honey?" A calming hand massaged Aoife's back as her heart ached for the comfort she knew she'd find in the embrace. Aoife sobbed into Riley's collar bone as she wrapped her arms around her white-blonde haired sister.

Dean's sigh radiated throughout the room as his boots tapped forward, "What was that?" His sigh was a slightly exasperated mixed into a worried overtone.

"Aoife—What's wrong?" Riley cooed as she rocked her friend in her arms.

"It's all my fault..." Aoife muttered hysterically, her tears burning the corners of her eyes as they flowed in a torrent down her face.

"What—" Riley's finger silenced Dean's started question, "What did you do?"

"I killed everyone..." Aoife's strangled whisper echoed through the tense room as the door opened again.

"I heard a scream and came as fast as I could—" He instantly stopped, his eyes scanning Aoife, then Riley, and finally resting on Dean sitting beside the girls almost helplessly.

"She just had a nightmare..." Riley sighed, stroking her hair softly. Aoife sucked in a sniffling breath and cast a look out at everyone around the room.

"We really need to do something about this..." Dean muttered, "It's getting ridiculous."

"Dean." Riley sighed; this time, Aoife jumped her red, chocolate eyes catching a pair of unearthly blue eyes. "There was an evil presence here, and it was—"

"Strong?" Riley's eyes held Castiel's before he could finish, "I think we gathered that..." Castiel didn't say another word, his expression stony as he gazed into her eyes. Aoife's heart stuttered as her cheeks warmed in embarrassment. She had just let one of God's angels see her cry a like a child a second time. Her stomach knotted even tighter than it had been before, knitting itself into a painful, undetangleable snarl.

An hour later...

Aoife curled up next to Riley on one of the cheap, motel couches, a depressed sort of stoic expression on her face. Bags hung beneath her pretty eyes, her blanched face blank, and the corners of her rosy lips turned down in a frown.

"What time is it?" Dean sighed, his hand running through his auburn hair.

"It's about three thirty." Sam yawned, his eyes lingering on Aoife for a fraction of a second.

"Damn..." Dean's eyes were then on Aoife too, before they brushed over Riley. "So what now?"

"I don't know, it's not like anyone told me how to kill the fucker." Aoife's heart quivered and quickened, dropping shards of anxiety into her stomach. The words the creature spoke to her echoed through her mind, her pulse racing to keep up with the scrambling of her thoughts.

"You can't fight it—promise me you won't!" Aoife's cracked voice shook with the anxiety and dread that tugged on her chest. Riley jumped back at her out burst, her deep blue orbs wide with alarm.

"What...?" Riley's mystified tone did not reach Aoife as her teeth began to grind her bottom lip between them, a nervous habit that she'd never been able to shake. "Aoife, don't chew on your lip, love." Riley sighed, her elegant fingers smoothing out her lip.

Castiel's gruff voice broke the intensity, "Your nightmare, what was it?" His unearthly blue eyes held hers, a flush rising to her tear soaked face at being spoken to directly.

"What the hell kind of question is that!?" Riley snapped, her eyes narrowing and her nostrils flaring at him in anger.

"A simple question." was his only blunt reply. A tear burned the corners of Aoife's eyes as she and Cas shared an intense stare for almost an entire minute. Aoife opened her mouth as if to answer, but words caught in her throat. The feeling of a finger pressing against her lips sent a chilling shiver down her spine. The air around them thickened, and her stomach tightened. Riley always described it like an axe, but to Aoife, it was a morbid creature coming to doom everything. Rampaging through those she cared for. Destroying all she knew. Coming for her...

"Aoife." The way her name rolled from his mouth tightened her stomach as a fluttering feeling filled her. Her cheeks warmed, and her eyes were on the handsome Angel's face. His eyes held warnings, but his face was in a stoic mask. Electricity seemed to zing through the air as her insides squirmed, almost as though she were a teenager with a crush.

The piercing pain of pure jealousy and rage stabbed into her stomach so suddenly she let out a high pitched whimper, and in one quick moment the cheap motel couch, she and—a very worried—Riley sat upon, was thrown backwards, both of them falling back with it.

Castiel's eyes darted around the room as both boys jumped to their feet to help the girls from the dislodged couch. "What the hell was that!?" Dean looked around as he helped a cursing Riley to her feet.

"Are you alright?" Sam asked softly as he bent down to help Aoife. The stabbing pain shot through her again, and Sam was slung across the room as if he were a rag doll. His tall fame crashed into a wall, breaking some of the cheap drywall beneath his weight.

"No, no, no-" Aoife whimpered, her heart stuttering painfully as she curled herself into the fetal position.

Dean trotted over to his brother, who luckily only sported a shallow gash across his forehead. He asked a question unheard over Aoife's soft sobs that ripped through her chest. His hand lightly lingered on his shoulder long enough to receive his nod before he turned to the scene on the opposite side of the room.

Everyone's eyes were on Aoife, but Aoife knew they couldn't feel the bubble around her. The darkness trying to seep into her skin, unnerve her, break her down, mess up her already sensitive thoughts. They didn't understand the fear that had her paralyzed on the floor, sobs rocking her petite body. They didn't feel the ache of her eyes when the tears scalded them as they cascaded down her cheeks. Not the relentless pounding of her heart that constricted her already restricted breathing. Not the uncontrollable sparks that stabbed down her spine every time this creature was near her.

Her stomach ached as sobs ripped through her harder. A hand brushed across her forehead, and she shakily recoiled as the jealousy stabbed into her once again. Riley's fingers brushed the air around Aoife, kneeling beside her sister almost helplessly. She could feel the dark veil around her, but she knew she could do nothing to pierce it. Each time her hand grazed over it, a painful burning sensation erupted in her fingers, she could feel it... Deep down she knew... Nothing was going to reach her, to make her feel safe. If she couldn't no one can.

Castiel popped in beside her, making her jump, squeak, and fall back on her ass. "Why–" She gasped, gripping her shirt over her beating heart, "Every damn time—" She took a second to compose herself, attempting to ignore the dark pulling on her stomach.

"She's trapped." His assessment was blunt, but it still left Riley with a "Whut~" sort of expression. "Aoife is trapped. How did she escape the last time?"

"Wait—What~" Riley's eyes lingered on Aoife for a brief moment before her expression hardened over, "I don't know. She didn't really...We had to pull her out of her funk, but her mom and dad almost died doing that." Riley sighed, exasperation and frustration coloring her tone, "It doesn't matter anyway, I dunno if we can pull her out...We can't even see the damn thing."

"What if you could?" Dean sighed in exasperation.

"Well I can't so—"

"Wait, Riley, Dean has a point." Riley and Dean shot Sam a dumbfounded look, "I mean, what if—bare with me, it's only a theory—what if you did a

spell of some sort that let you see it? I mean, you do have magic blood in your veins, right? So, I think it's worth a shot." Sam's eyebrows were slightly raised in

anticipation.

"I'd have never thought of it..." Dean allowed, looking to Riley. "Worth a shot?"

"Is it even do-able?" Riley looked to Castiel, he always had the answers.

"I do not know if it is possible." Blunt, straight forward, "I will consult the heavenly father." And with a pop, he was gone.

Riley sighed, her eyes traveling to Aoife's giant duffle bag. Her sister had always been more interested in the witchcraft lore than Riley had been. She always carried a thick volume around, and—it being Aoife—it wasn't your normal exorcisms and incantations. Riley stood–hesitantly leaving her sister's side–and ambled over to Aoife's duffle. Her fingers found the zipper and yanked it open, quickly finding the thick, worn book at the bottom of the bag. She fingered through the pages, hoping to find the one she needed.

Dean stood over her shoulder, glancing down at the pages with a bewildered expression. Sam sat with Aoife who sobbed while still curled up in the fetal position, her knees tucked into her chest. Riley didn't know this book as well as Aoife, she hadn't read it. She merely skimmed through it when Aoife had told her to check it out. Many of the pages contained detailed descriptions of rituals for many occasions. Fertility, luck, invisibility, and even resurrection... This book had it all. No wonder Aoife had been so fascinated by it. Now Riley just needed a ritual—or even a spell, a simple incantation maybe—to see the creature haunting her sister. The creature putting the shield around her now that kept Riley from comforting her. From protecting her from this evil that now had them separated.

Dean, of course, was no help at all. He just stood there. No words left his mouth, but the occasionally pointed or shifted awkwardly behind her. A sigh rattled softly behind them.

"Dean, switch with me." Sam sighed standing from his spot on the floor next to the petite woman, "Maybe I'll be able to help. I'm better with books than you are."

"Hey! I'm good with books—" Dean paused almost as if to reconsider his words, "No, we all know that's a lie...Yeah, let's switch." Sam nodded, taking Dean's place as Dean took his.

Sam started to help her page through, stopping her only when he saw a passage that looked promising. "Wait!" Sam pointed to a page with a rather lengthy paragraph that introduced the idea of subconscious creatures. Their eyes skimmed over the paragraph until they reached the part they needed, "Here it is... 'A creature may be created from a child of magick's subconscious. Their dreams. Only this child will be able to see it unless they wish it otherwise. Though, once the creature is strong enough, it may develop the ability to make conscious decisions. There is always a chance that this power will corrupt this being of subconscious, and this may lead to disastrous consequences.'"

Riley sighed, "I know it has free will. It just wanna know why we can't see the mofo."

Sam read on, "This creature-"

"Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah..." Riley muttered skipping through the paragraph until she found the part that gave her the answer to her question, "Said creature of subconscious may even develop such advanced free will that it may cloak itself from anyone but-" Riley's jaw tensed, "but the creator of said creature... Well—Fuck."

"So it is choosing to make itself–for lack of a better word–invisible." Sam concluded, his eyes brushing over the still woman on the ground.

"Yes." A gruff voice broke the silence before Riley could, making not only her, but Dean and Sam jump. Riley was just much more dramatic as she groped the air over her heart.

"Son of bitch..." Dean gasped, gripping the fabric over his chest.

"There is an incantation in which Riley can use to force the creature from its invisible veil." Castiel stood over Aoife staring down at her, his brow slightly creased.

"How—" Dean interjected.

"The heavenly father told me so; therefore, it is so." Blunt.

"Okay, okay." Dean put his hands up in surrender, "So, oh so knowledgeable angel of heaven, what is it...?"

"I do not know." He pointed to the book in Riley's hands. "It is there." A few pages of the book flipped and a piece of text in the book stood out.

Riley's eyes traveled down to the book as Aoife let out another yelp after several minutes of quite. A sharp, angry, rage filled twisting gripped Aoife's body. Her spine tingled as its wall began to waver, allowing some of the Angel's warmth through. The demon let out a growl, knowing only Aoife could hear it. Its sound reverberated throughout the room, sending unconscious shivers down everyone's' spines.

Riley began to read the incantation, "Daemon somnia—" Aoife whimpered out in pain as the monster howled in rage at being acknowledged by the witch, "manifesta—" It's power of the girl was beginning to thin into a feeble shield of darkness allowing the Angel's light to filter through it, "—te."

The creature's growl was suddenly completely audible as Sam and Dean jumped backwards at the sight of a dark purple and black shield surrounding the woman on the ground. A shadow with a pair of black eyes with pupils of white glared at the witch holding the thick book. Riley's strong blue orbs glared into his defiantly.

"I hate reading that crap." She sneered.

Aoife could feel the anger radiating through the creature as his shield began to stretch, leaving it almost penetrable. From the outside, Aoife was not visible, so her body could not be seen loosening. Nor could she be seen wiping away a loose tear. Riley bound to her in one easy stride and stared down at it helplessly.

"Call to her." Castiel ordered. Riley's expression was quizzical as she glanced at the tall angel, whose unearthly blue eyes were on the purple and black energy surrounding her soul sister. "Do it."

"Ef, honey-" She started softly.

"That isn't good enough."

"Well then you do it, angel boy." She barked.

"You must do it-"

"Then let me do it my way..." Riley took a deep breath, "Ef, honey," She started again, "grow a pair of damn lady balls and get the fuck out of that damn thing!" Riley's foot lashed out, kicking the shield only to recoil in pain, "Fuck-Son-of-Douche-Ass-BITCH!" Dean stifled a snicker, but Aoife could hear her soul sister's words floating through her. Her heart tapped on her chest and her stomach tightened with fear, but her hand hesitantly reached forward. It inched forward shakily until it finally broke free of the barrier. A strong, warm hand gripped hers and pulled her through the stretched wall between them.

Aoife stumbled forward into the arms of the angel standing in front of her, sobbing tears of relief as the aching of her body ceased with the disappearance of the shadow specter whose presence seemed to leave the room completely.


	9. 009: Riley Flaming Red

Aoife was lying on the bed cuddling her pillow, eyes opening and closing at random times. Riley angrily paced in front of the bed, her hands wringing over and over with a deep frown on her lips. Dean watched her pace from his seat on the side table next to Aoife's bed. Sam sat at the foot of the bed watching Riley as well, his face stoic.

"We NEED to destroy this thing," Riley growled. Cas looked from Aoife to Riley and then back again.

"What about you Angel boy," Riley stopped pacing and glared as Cas, "you have heavenly powers, work your shit!"

Cas cocked his head to the side and studied Riley, "I don't—"

"Fucking do something about it!" She yelled so loud Aoife flinched and curled in on herself. Riley winced at her sister, rubbing a hand down her face and let a deep breath.

"Riley–I cannot rid something of someone's mind." Cas said bluntly.

"You can wipe memories and change realities, yet you can't get rid of something for Aoife. Aoife!?" She was yelling again. This time, Dean stood up and came to Riley's side. He rested a hand on her shoulder. Riley looked at the hand, at Dean and then closed her eyes.

"We have to get rid of it," She said in a voice so low it was barely a whisper.

"We will Riley." San said with so much confidence, the white/blonde haired witch almost believed him.

In all honesty, Riley didn't think they could ever get rid of this creature. It was stronger than Riley thought. All she'd ever wanted to do was protect Aoife, and that's all she's ever done. But this thing… A deep, ugly fear settled into Riley's stomach as she looked at her soul sister. How fragile and scared she looked, even in her sleep… Her rosy cheeks were stained with tears, and her fists were clenched tight.

Another stab of fear went through Riley at the thought of losing Aoife. They went through everything together and always came through. This could not, CANNOT be what tore them apart.

"Book," Riley threw out her hand. Aoife's spell book flew into her hand. She ripped it open to the page and found the incantation. Her eyes scanned over, what she needed. She cursed at the Latin, wishing she knew it better than she did.

"Riley?" Sam gave the tallest witch a questioning look. Riley ignored it and continued to read through the words, her mind working overdrive and sending more fear to settle in the pit of her stomach.

"Riley," Dean's hand gripped Riley's shoulder once more. This time it was strong and cautioning. She read what he meant and shook her head.

"Dean, Sam get some rest." She said softly. The eldest Winchester gave the white/blonde haired woman a hard stare. Riley stared back with an even tougher glare, her deep blue eyes frosting over and give Dean a warning.

Dean frowned but dropped his hand from her shoulder, "We're staying in here."

He walked over to the extra bed and threw himself on it. Riley gave him a very evil look but sighed and shook her head.

She felt like her lungs were collapsing in her. She grasped the air around her, needing to find what was doing it to her. Her heart was beating frantically in her chest, threatening to break free. What was happening? Her hands flew to her neck and she felt two more. Strong hands with callouses, hands that sent warm ugly chills through her. She clawed frantically at the human tools cutting off air supply. With no reward at trying to pull them off her, she went to push the bastard off. She felt out for the person but no contact came. How could someone be killing her if noone was there!?

A harsh laugh ripped at her ears and Riley's heart stuttered. She knew that laugh... Dean was killing her, Dean was killing her!

"DEAN!" Riley shot up in the bed. The spell book fell to the ground as her hands jumped to her throat. She looked around the motel room in a haste, her eyes settling on the bed the Winchesters had chosen to occupy. Well, one Winchester... She noticed that the youngest of the brothers was not in the bed. Only Dean's head laid on the pillows, his mouth open with a single spittle of drool dripping from his mouth. His hair was messy as his body was spread eagle.

She allowed herself a smile that quickly vanished as she looked to Aoife, letting out a happy sigh as she watched her soul sister sleep with no worries. Looking at the floor, she picked up the magic book and held it to her chest. Climbing out of bed, she made her way—silently—to the bathroom. Opening the door, she flipped the switch and jumped twelve feet in the air.

Sam sat on the toilet, his head in his hands. He didn't look up at Riley but spoke, "I couldn't sleep, but I didn't want to leave the room just in case—" His words trailed off, and Riley felt her whole body flinch. He looked up at that point and his eyes widened, "Riley, I'm–" She held her hand up to stop him.

"It's okay," She motioned to the book, "I came in here to read some more."

Sam's eyes dropped to the book then back up into Riley's eyes, "I'll get out." He stood up, but Riley stopped him.

"Don't—I...stay," She pushed him back down on the toilet and lifted herself up on the sink. Her fingers leafed through the pages, eyes scanning the words.

"Ri." Sam was in front of her by the time she looked up at her words. He was looking at her with a determined look that reminded her of Dean. He stepped up to her, put his hands on her knees, and pushed them apart. She raised an eyebrow in confusion but didn't prtest. He was now really close with Riley, her legs on either side of him. His hazel eyes never left hers, and Riley saw something that sparked a light in her stomach.

"Everything's going to be okay," His voice was soft, "we'll find a way to defeat this thing." His hands rested on her thighs. Riley knew she should stop him, but she couldn't. His lips were close to hers. She could feel them brushing against hers. His har was tickling her cheek, and his breath was reminding Riley of how long it had been.

"You're one of the strongest people I know. When it comes to Aoife, as long as you are there for her, she's safer than the pentagon." His lips moved down to her neck and sent hot waves through her. Oh wow, was all could think as her hands made their was into his hair. Firey, red heat burned her skin where his lips touched.

Firey red...

Red.

"Oh my God!" She yelled. Sam chuckled into her neck and bit down. Riley let out an involuntary moan, but pushed him away. He looked up at her with surprise painted on his face.

"Sydney!" Sam gave her the largest question mark look she'd ever seen.

"No, Sam." He pointed at himself.

Riley shook her head, "No, not what I meant. I know how we can see the creature." Her smile was large and filled knowing and hope, "Oh Sam, I found a way to help Aoife." She squealed loudly and threw her arm around the youngest Winchester. Sam awkwardly patted her back with a smile. He turned his face into her neck and kissed the spot he bit. His tongue traced over it before rebiting and kissing it again.

Riley moaned loudly at Sam's assault on her neck. She was so happy, she had found a way to help her sister after all. The bubble inside her was so full and so close to popping, and if Dean bit her neck again... Dean! She pushed Sam away and ran into the main room. Aoife was shaking violently on the bed, her head thrashing back and forth as she whimpered loudly.

"He NEVER sleeps that deeply," She said loudly. Sam ran to his brother as Riley made her way to Aoife. She hesitated a second before grabbing her soul sister. Aoife's eyes opened widely before scanning the room, landing on Riley and pooling over with tears.

"W-what?" Dean's voice was groggy, and Riley could still hear the sleep in it. Her hand rhythmically patted Aoife's back as she rocked them back and forth.

"What's happened!?" This time dean sounded frantic. Riley looked at the brothers and frowned at Dean. Anger replaced the happy feelings as she stared at the eldest Winchester.

"Why didn't you wake up!" She yelled. Dean gave her a wide eyed, open mouthed stare, "I was awake," His voice dropped as did his eyes, "I don't remember falling asleep."

"That's because you were put to sleep."

"Jesus!" Riley almost pulled Aoife off the bed in fear. Cas was stanting, stock-still, in fron of their bed. Dean was looking at Riley an amused glance.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"The creature reached into your subconsciouses and used them against you," He looked at Sam quickly before looking back at Aoife. The mahogany haired girl shook her head and pulled away from Riley enough to look at the Angel.

"You mean that...thing was inside my mind?" Dean sneered. Cas nodded briefly.

"Gross."

"Riley said she knows how to help Aoife," Sam spurted out as an awkward silence filled the room. All eyes fell on the soul sisters, who were both looking at each other. The happy feeling came back to Riley as she remembered her genius discovery.

"Really?" Aoife asked with a very timid voice. Riley beamed down at her best friend and nodded wildly, "How?"

"Sydney!"

"Sydney?"

"Sydney. I remembered something from high school. Remember Jackaleb Andrew's Halloween party Junior year?" Aoife nodded once, "Do you also remember when Syd was going to freak Mattie Quealls out so she decided to tell her, her future," Another nod, "Good. If you recall, she grabbed Mattie's and Marcus White's hand in the 'circle' and, instead of telling Mattie her future–"

"She pulled them into one another's minds through her!" Aoife finished. Riley nodded so hard she thought her head would fall off. The Winchesters and Cas were giving the girls question mark looks. Aoife looked up and noticed—for the first time in what felt like forever—she smiled.

"Sydney's psychic." She said as if the guys should already know this.

Dean gave her an exasperated sigh and flopped down on the bed, "Should'a known you two would have wierd friends."

Riley eyed the Ken doll look-alike, "You should talk."

"Nope, I don't have friends."

"That's sad."

"Riley? The tallest witch look at the angel. "What's on your neck?" Riley's had flew to her neck, exactly where Sam had bitten. She felt her face go a deep shade of red as she tried to come up with something. She saw Dean move in her peripheral vision. His hand grabbed Riley's chin and turned her head, while pulling her hand away. His eyes went wide.

"How did you get a hickey?" He asked a little too loudly. Riley tried to make her face stoic, but her eyes fell on Sam. Dean whipped around so fast it was a blur. Sam's eyes were wide, "You gave her a hickey!" He yelled. Before Sam could react, Dean's fist collided with his brothers face with a loud thwack.


	10. 010: Aoife Moving On

Dean whipped around so fast it was a blur. Sam's eyes were wide, "You gave her a hickey!" He yelled. Before Sam could react, Dean's fist collided with his brother's face with a loud thwack.

Aoife let out an audible gasp as she stared wide eyed at the oldest Winchester brother.

"Dean—What the hell-" Riley shouted standing up.

"No! What the hell is up with you!?" He shouted rounding on the white/blonde haired girl.

"Dean," Castiel cautioned.

"Shut the hell up, Cas." Dean growled.

"Don't tell him to shut up." Aoife said quietly, her first words since Dean blew up.

"Shut up, Aoife." He grumbled softly.

"Aw hell naw—Don't tell her to shut up." Riley barked, her fists tightening into white-knuckled frustration.

"Why the hell were you making out with my brother!?"

"Don't change the subject!" Riley's face flushed a deeper red.

"No, you don't change the subject!"

"You're doing it right now."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are!" Riley snapped, her voice raising an octive. "And I didn't make out with Sam!"

"Now who's changing the damn subject!"

"Yo mamma, that's who!" Dean's large, calloused hands gripped Riley's shirt yanking her forward.

"Why did you make out with Sam?" He growled, his jaw clenched, muffling his words.

"Come on, guys." Sam tried to soothe.

"You better back off," Dean growled his attention not leaving Riley's face.

"I didn't make out with your brother, dammit!" Riley growled. By this point their noses were touching as they intensely glared into each others eyes.

A sigh rattled through Aoife as she felt the tension building, "Just fuck her already and get it over with…"

"I believe this is a result of unsolved sexual tension." Cas muttered bluntly.

"What!" Dean and Riley pushed away from each other as Sam spoke again, breaking the silence.

"We made out?" A question mark was firm on his forehead. "I'll admit, I wanted to kiss her, but we never did it."

"Exactly—Wait, what!?" Riley motioned to Sam as she spoke.

Aoife stood, knowing—despite the headache of tension the tears gave her—that she would have to settle this, "Why don't we all shut the fuck up and consider all stories before jumping to conclusions."

"I concur." The tall angel agreed.

"Ditto." Riley agreed.

"What time is it?" Sam muttered suddenly, walking to a window.

"No body cares Sam…" Dean muttered spitefully.

"Dean, quit being a dick." Riley muttered.

"You—" Dean started angrily.

"Don't you start again." Aoife cautioned softly, "Because if the two of you start screaming at each other again, I happily kill you both with a spoon and employ Cas and Sam to help me bury you in the woods."

Castiel's beautiful blue eyes were on Aoife, questions clearly in them. "A spoon isn't an effective weapon."

"No, it isn't." Aoife allowed. "But at this point, I don't care if they have to go in the bathroom and do the dirty to talk this out, but they better not start screaming at each other."

"That will never happen…" Riley chimed arrogantly.

"Oh really," She looked to Sam, who seemed to know what she was thinking. In one swift movement, Aoife and Sam whisked Riley and Dean into the bathroom and locked the door with a click.

They banged and shouted through the door, but Aoife ignored it.

"Sam, what the hell!?" Dean shouted, slamming his fist against the bathroom door.

"Ef–Aoife what the hell…what the hell." Riley shouted, "Let me out! Dean can stay—"

"Hey!" Dean protested.

"–Just let me out!"

"Not until you work it out." Aoife chimed prancing back to her bed. A few seconds passed and the banging began again, "That banging better be steamy make up sex." Aoife called out before turning to the Angel whose head was tilted as he processed her words.

Her stomach fluttered, filling her with warmth as their eyes locked. A soft blush rose to her cheeks, and an intense silence filled the room. Sam cleared his throat in an attempt to remind them that he was there, but it didn't seem to phase them.

"Hey, guys, I'm still here…" Sam muttered awkwardly.

Aoife shook her head, "Sorry Sam." She glanced back up, "Cas, you can sit down, you know that right." Aoife motioned to the end of the bed.

The angel hesitantly sat at the end of her bed in front of her crossed legs. Sam took a seat on the bed opposite of her, sighing in frustration. "So..." Aoife started conversationally, "Did you two really make out?" She did her best to keep the curiosity from leaking into her calm words.

"No..." Sam groaned falling back on the bed, "and even if we did, I don't remember it."

"The creature was manipulating you. Even if you were to remember, it wasn't you." Castiel stated, bracing his elbows on his knees.

Aoife sighed, "I hope they make up soon, I really do have a killer headache..." She rubbed her temples cringing as she closed her eyes.

"I'm glad you're out of that funk." Sam's mutter reached her. "It was really becoming unnerving to see you in such a terrible way."

"You and me both, Sam..." Aoife muttered. "I just hope the bastard goes away long enough for us to find Sydney." She opened her eyes, placing her hands in her lap, "That is to say if we can find the elusive bitch."

Cas tilted his head curiously, his eyes on Aoife. "I don't understand."

"Well, we lost contact a few years ago—just before we met you guys actually—so about two years ago." Aoife smiled thoughtfully. The smile warmed her blanched face, fading the dark rings that hung beneath her eyes a tad. "We haven't really seen her since. I mean, we've barely heard from her, and we don't even know if we have a way to contact her. So, in order to find her, we'll have to do it the old fashioned way."

"The old fashioned way?" Sam sat up at this.

"We'll have to hunt her ass down..."

"Is this–" Cas started. "Sydney." Aoife reminded him. "Is this Sydney a hunter?" Castiel asked.

"Yes, why?"

"What sets her apart from either you or Riley?"

"She's psychic." She stated simply. Both of the men stared at her with blank expressions, giving her the need to explain herself. "She can see things like small gimpses of the future, sometimes creatures from others' minds—except mine of course—and she can even take someone else's soul into herself." Aoife's voice shone in wonder as she spoke of their friend. Out of the corner of her eye, Aoife could have sworn she saw Castiel's lips pull up at the corners, but when she looked to check, his mouth was still the firm line of blankness. "If Riley and I have the same idea—and I'm pretty sure we do—then she will be able to see the damned thing."

Chills ran down Aoife's spine at the mention of the plague that haunted her. She couldn't allow it in. Not after she had just regained her sanity using the last strand of hope she had left. Not when her sister wasn't there to pull her out. Her teeth clamped down on her lower lip as her hand moved to her forehead, a headache building from nothing but tension.

"Aoife." His cautioning husky voice yanked her out of her own mind and dragged her attention to his face. His unearthly blue eyes held hers for moments before she snapped back into reality.

"Sorry..." She sighed her eyes traveling to the bathroom door. Silence seemingly issued from behind the door, maybe they really were working it out. This brought a slight smile to Aoife's face, but turned into an all around laugh when she realized how absurd that was.

An hour or two passed and they made small talk. Castiel sat quietly, listening to Aoife and Sam while seemingly deep in thought. She and Sam talked about trivial things, a little about Sydney, and even Dean—who he didn't talk about often.

Aoife turned to Castiel, "Is it true that Dean tried to kill you when you first met?"

His gorgeous blue eyes brushed over her, "Yes." Blunt, just as he always was.

She laughed lightly, her chocolate eyes lightening. "Remember when we first met, Sam?"

A smile briefly crossed Sam's lips as he glanced at the mahogany haired woman sitting across from the Angel. "Yeah, and if I remember correctly, you held a gun to my manhood...literally."

Aoife laughed softly, "Only because Dean wouldn't stop pointing the colt at Riley's forehead."

Sam let loose a chuckle, "Only because she wouldn't stop holding her sickle to his neck."

"Only because Dean was pointing the gun at me–"

"Because you got caught doing magic–"

Aoife rolled her eyes, "Dean overreacted." She sent a smirk at the youngest Winchester brother, "Besides, I only stopped a vase in midair..."

Sam let out a laugh, "Yeah, only in midair..." Aoife smiled a breathtaking smile that could leave any member of the opposite sex absolutely breathless. Even the stone-faced angel Castiel couldn't take his eyes off of her. Her blanched face warmed slightly, and her rosy lips spread into a smile that sent a warming feeling into her stomach.

The creature wouldn't have this... A fierce, stabbing pain slammed into her stomach, forcing her to double over and curl around it. Rage and envy ripped through her forcing a cry of pain through her lips. Castiel and Sam leaped to their feet, and Riley's voice sounded behind the door.

"Ef!?" Her voice was panicked, frantic for a way to get to her sister, "What happened!?"

Castiel placed a hand on her shoulder, but his hand instantly recoiled. "Sam, release them." He ordered pointing to the bathroom door. Sam rushed forward as Aoife let out a high pitched yelp. She held up one of her petite hands, which burned white-hot like it had been set on fire. A fire surrounded her hand, scalding her skin as it forced its way out against the girl's will. Sam's hand almost rested on the door knob when the fire shot across the room, landing on the carpet between Sam and the door. Sam jumped back, attempting to smother the flames before they could spread.

The flames only grew more intense as they scorched aross the carpet, spreading uncontrollably. Aoife struggled to suck in deep breaths that only choked her as a hand closed around her throat. Suddenly the bathroom door slammed open—snapping the lock—and Dean barged into the room, Riley following shortly after him.

"Son of a bitch! What the hell did you do?" His question was aimed at Sam.

"I didn't do anything." Sam snapped back.

"It's Aoife..." Riley muttered, her eyes owl-wide as she stared at her sister curled in ball across the room.

Riley bounded forward, "Riley—wait!" She slipped past Dean's outstretched hand and hurtled toward the rising flames. "Repel." She muttered as she jumped into the blaze. The flames barely tickled her skin as she bounded through them. She could feel the spell wearing off as she reached the other side, the fire slightly singing the hem of her pants.

Castiel placed his hand on her shoulder again, this time not recoiling when he felt the evil wrap around his hand. Riley jumped clear over the bed next to theirs and landed with a plop on the bed her sister occupied. "Ef... Ef honey." Aoife coughed as she tried to suck in a painful breath. "Dammit, its choking her from the inside!" Riley reached toward her face when she was thrown clean over the other bed. "Aw—Son of a douche-ass-bitch..." She groaned. Dean bounded through the fire, sliding to Riley's side after snuffing the fire that caught on the hem of his pants.

Castiel's head tilted curiously. He didn't seem to notice the fire that was spreading rapidly behind him. His eyes were focused on his hand. Curiously he seemed to be the only one whose hand could come anywhere near the mahogany haired girl, whose shoulder his hand was pressed to. Part of him knew that she was stuck, suffocating from the inside...or outside. Either was possible. But how could he put a stop to it... His touch seemed to force the darkness to flee. The evil didn't like something in him. His angel geneology...? If that was the case, maybe that would save the girl fighting to force down the neccessary air for life.

Slowly, Castiel leaned in, very careful to make sure this creature of dreams didn't harm her as he attempted to free her. His fingertips brushed across her face, leaving a warm trail in their place. Aoife leaned into his hand, craving the feeling of intensity behind his touch. This sent an odd feeling into Castiel's stomach, and butterflies flapped through Aoife's, leaving a warmth to linger and radiate through her.

"Cas!" Castiel's head whipped around as Dean carried a protesting Riley to the door. "This place is going down. Grab her would you, none of us can." Sam held the door open for Dean as Cas looked back down at Aoife.

Castiel—gingerly and tentatively—began to scoop his arms beneath the girl, for he had seen Dean do this with Riley moments earlier. He lifted her into his arms—she was much lighter than he had expected; certainly lighter than Dean—whom he had pulled from the pits of hell with a single hand. Her eyes widened and she gasped in a breath, only to cough roughly as thick smoke began to fill the room. Within a fraction of a second he was standing next to Dean, whose jump was nothing compared to Riley's—who nearly kicked Dean in the face as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Sirens wailed and a bright red fire truck, an ambulance, and many police cruisers pulled into the parking lot, luckily on the opposite side than Riley and Dean happened to have their cars parked. Firefighters ran into the hotel room to battle the blaze within it. EMTs stepped out of the back of the ambulance speaking with a few of the occupants from the other rooms that had been evacuated.

Aoife coughed inhaling in the clean air around her. Her shaky hands gently brushed over her neck, feeling the bruises in the form of finger marks. Aoife saw Riley struggle her way out of Dean's arms from the corner of her eye, and rush over to her. Her long, elegant fingers traced her face maternally, worry lacing her eyes.

"Are you alright?" Aoife nodded, not daring to talk as her heart still stuttered lightly. Riley's deep blue orbs met Cas's, and an instant understanding passed between them. Riley held her arms out for her sister, making sure she was steady before she removed her from Castiel's grip completely. Her sister had a little more heft than she used to... Of course, Riley hadn't picked her sister up since they were young tweens, and now—due to her apparent curves—Aoife weighed ten to twenty pounds more than Riley. "Come on, we should get going, before the EMTs get any ideas..." With a pop, Cas was gone.

Aoife was whisked from her arms in one fluid motion before she could even begin to walk, "Hey–what the hell–" Riley protested only to be cut off by Dean.

"You were having trouble holding her up as it is, and with your twiggy legs, I can see why. Absolutely no strength, what-so-ever." Dean mocked. Riley glowered at him and was about to argue when she thought better. She pointed him to her car, and he marched triumphantly.

Riley unlocked her precious vintage, 1969 Mustang and looked to Sam, who happened to be holding their bags. "I packed them, just in case." Riley took them from him, and tossed them in the back seat. When Aoife was placed in the passenger seat, she got in the driver's seat and closed the door.

Dean tapped on her window, and she rolled it down. "Where're we headed?" He leaned against the frame.

"I dunno, but if I had to guess, then I'd say we just go head to Arkansas. There's a lead down that way." Riley sighed, "As for Syd, we'll have to keep our eyes and ears pealed and hope we see 'er." She looked up at Dean, her chin resting in her palm.

"Righto." Dean saluted her good bye as he and Dean walked over to the Impala, got in, and pulled out. Riley followed close behind, ready to begin their half day journey to North West Arkansas.

Aoife bolted up in bed. Riley was asleep by her side, almost as though she were oblivious to Aoife's frantically beating heart. Her eyes traced over the shiloette of Dean's form, spread eagle, on the bed. Sam's shape could be seen, his chest rising and calling on the couch. Riley stirred beside her but settled, nuzzling her pillow softly.

Sweat beaded across her brow, but Aoife knew deep down that all of it was a dream. The fire, the few intimate moments with Cas, and even the punch Dean had landed on Sam's cheek. She sighed, standing from her spot on the bed and trying not to jostle Riley. Her petite feet allowed her to creep across the carpet nearly soundlessly. Her delicate hands pulled the bathroom door open, and closed it after flipping the light on.

Aoife slumped over to the sink, turning the water on long enough for her splash her face before turning to the mirror. She looked horrible... Her normally flushed face was blanched an a sunken white. Her normally bright eyes were dull and dead. Bags hung beneath her eyes, adding to the appearance of illness. Aoife blinked once and the tall, handsome angel was then behind her. Her intake of breath rattled her chest, her heart hammering as she whipped around to face him. "D-Dean's asleep." She muttered softly, briefly jerking her thumb toward the door.

"I know." His gruff voice sent chills down her spine, pumping a jittery feeling into the pits of her stomach as she stared into his unearthly blue eyes. She opened her mouth to question him when his thumb brushed over her lips, catching the words in her throat. His eyes were focused intensely on her lips, bringing a warm tingling to Aoife's cheeks. And when those lips crashed against hers, she gripped the counter tightly as her knees grew weak. His fingers ensnared into the locks of her hair to keep her from pulling away as he pulled her close.

Aoife didn't know how to feel. A deep feeling of elation blew through her, but it almost felt unnatural. This didn't seem like Cas at all... He wasn't one for much physical contact, yet alone such intimacy. Every inch of her petite body tingled, yearning for him to come closer. Whisk her off her feet... But she felt everything go wrong as he pulled away. His eye's had changed. Once a beautiful, all-knowing blue, now a pitch black with pupils of white.

"Remember," He muttered, his warm breath fanning her face, "You can't run from me, Aoife." This demented, distorted being pressed its lips to hers again.


	11. 011: Riley I Can't Do This On My Own

Aoife jerked awake, "You okay?" Riley's voice floated over to her.  
Aoife glanced at her briefly before glancing at the scenery out of the window. It was late night, extremely early morning most likely. "Yeah, let's just find Sydney before this thing kills me."  
"We will. I'll make sure of it." Riley said with defiance. Her hands were white knuckling the steering wheel, her teeth clenched as she watched the empty road ahead of her. Way too much had happened in just a single night. Way too much... All Riley wanted to do was curl into a ball and ignore all human and supernatural lifeforms.

Spaceships and stars covered the bedspread. A worn-out, tan teddy bear slumped against the head board, its mid section covered by a tiny hand with an i.v. sticking out from it.  
Connor Miles was six years old, his first birthday in critical condition. No one knew how it happened, or why. They all knew Conner had a lapse heart, but he and his family were good at keeping it under control. Then, about two months ago, it got worse and worse. He started to get sick, weak, and lost all enthusiasm left in him. The doctors couldn't find the cause of this sudden drop. The little boy was healthy—beside the obvious—in every way.  
None of them saw Connor's visitor. The one that snuck into his room at night, placed its long, curled hand on his chest, and sang to him. No one saw how his breathing became shallow, and his heart beat quickened. A loud piercing alarm rang through the air, telling his parents that his heart was weakening, and he was losing oxygen.  
No one saw the teddy bear slip from Connor's small, pale hands as he became still, and the alarm let out a long beep.  
No one saw six year old Connor Miles die in his sleep.

Two hours...That was all the sleep Riley got when they finally arrived in Arkansas. Her stomach was empty, her eyes burned and she needed a shower. Dean handed her a Styrofoam cup of coffee, and she sneered at it.  
"I know...You don't drink it, but you need it right now."  
He was right. They left Sam and Aoife back at the motel. Both of the nerds were looking at clues for finding Sydney. Their old friend wasn't the easiest bitch to catch. Riley king of wished Dean would have let her shower, but they had a lead on one of their cases.

"Six years old...Six!" Riley read the file over and over again, taking a scolding, disgusting sip of horrid caffeine in her hand.  
Dean started up the Impala and gave Riley a quick look, "When did the parents find him?"  
Riley looked over the file again, flipping through the pages, "Uh...it says they found him about half an hour after he died."  
"Why so long?"  
"Father claims their door was jammed to the parents' bedroom," She sneered again, this time at the picture of Connor Miles. He had sweet brown eyes, dimples and curly brown hair. Today is his birthday. No, Today WAS his birthday... Whatever killed him was going to get a blade to the face...Twice...

Dean drove them to the crime scene, both of them silent when they pulled up to the house. It was a simple two story home. Quite modern in its sturdy white washed frame, white picket fence and even a two car garage. One police car sat idle on the curb, a paramedic was sitting with Mrs. Miles on the porch.  
"Why are the police here...?" Dean asked. Riley eyed the scene once before looking through the file. She read it over and over, her stomach sinking with each little word. Finally she read something interesting, "The boy's favorite, tan teddy bear was missing, and his window was wide open."  
"Sounds like a Hausa," Dean said bluntly. Riley had to agree with him. Hausa were witches who sucked the life out of you slowly. Something just didn't add up, "Why would a witch hag take his teddy bear?"  
Dean shrugged, "Maybe a sick reminder that she tool a six-year-old's life..." He got out of the Impala and sauntered toward the house. Riley followed in suit, straightening out her nice clothes and sniffing to make sure.

When they reached the woman, Riley knew where Connor got his dimples.  
"Mrs. Miles?" Riley put up her best 'I'm a sweet person you can talk to' voice. The woman looked up, and it it shocked Riley to see a large, deep scar on the left side of the mother's face. It was jagged and ran from her nose to her ear, curving in what looked like a 'Z'.  
"Who are you?" Mrs. Miles asked. She had a sweet voice that was contorted by tears.  
"Ma'am, I'm Amy Smith. This is my husband, Aaron Smith; We're grief counselors." The mother looked at Dean, then back to Riley. Her blue eyes held resistance.  
"I don't need a grief counselor; I need my son back." Her voice broke at the end but no tears came out. The paramedic glared at Riley before walking back into the house. Riley stared aghast at the entry way. Why did he glare at her? What the hell did she do!?

"Ma'am," Dean sat down next to Mrs. Miles, his face full of concern and understanding. He placed a hand over her knee, "All we want to do is talk." Wow, Riley thought, Sam was the 'overly compassionate' one.  
Mrs. Miles looked at Dean, "My son died in the middle of the night. It would be on thing if his heart just gave out. His bear—his favorite bear—was missing and the window was left open. Not to mention mine and Derrick's door wouldn't open until Derrick broke it down." This time she hid her face in her hands and her shoulders shook with silent sobs.  
Dean looked at Riley and motioned to the house. Riley nodded and walked inside to go investigate Conner's room.

She found it to be the first door on the right once you got up stairs. It was like any other little kid's room. Decked out with stars and planets, a spaceship play tent was stuck in the corner. A white and black toy box—overflowing with toys—stood at the foot of the bed, which sat in the middle of the room. Right beneath the window... Riley moved towards the bed, allowing her magic soak up the world around her.  
She moved to the left side of the bed and placed her hand on the deep space covers, "Reveal."  
The air shifted around and Riley felt a weight pull on her heart. Dark and twisted power hung in the air around her. She saw a black mass hovering over the bed and heard a melodic singing in her ears. She couldn't understand the words. They sounded like pure gibberish, pure sweet gibberish... She felt pulled toward the black mass, almost like it wanted her to know that it was there. It wanted her...

"NO!" A child's voice yelled. Something knocked Riley in the chest, causing her to stumble away from the bed. She blinked once, then scanned the room for the source of the voice and push.  
"Oh, sweet Riley...come and let me taste your soul," That melodic singing voice felt honey on her. Something began to pull her toward the black mass. This time she felt it grip her arms and lead her to it, allowing it to take control. She fell into the singing, let the singing be a part of her.  
"Stop!" This time, the child's voice was in her ear. The push was much rougher this time, and Riley fell down, her head connecting with the dresser behind her.

"Fuck—I don't know, Sam! Are Riley's eye blood shot!?" Riley felt each word Dean yelled cut across her brain like a knife. She opened her eyes—slowly—and saw Sam sitting next to her on the bed.

"Hi," She mumbled weakly.  
"Hi yourself, how's the head?" He ran his fingers across Riley's forehead. She shrugged and made a 'what do you think' face.  
Sam smiled, "You hit it pretty hard. Dean doesn't know how you fell, but it would be cool if you could tell us."  
"I was pushed," That earned a raised eyebrow from Mister Compassionate. Riley tried to sit up and realized it was impossible with how Sam was leaning against her. She looked down at where his mid-section leaned against hers, and this time, her eyebrow was raised, "Sorry."

He moved and let her lift up. She winced as dulling pain ran through her, "I was pushed, but I don't know by what. I did the reveal spell and saw the dark energy; I think I have an idea on what killed Conner. It would explain why it's always a little kid and why it only happened every six generations. Anyway, I felt something pushing me, trying to get me to stop going toward what the spell had revealed.  
"It yelled at me to stop, and it pushed me back. The weird thing was that it sounded like a little kid. I think it might have been Conner, but it couldn't have been..." She stopped talking and looked up at the motel's window. Dean had his back to them and his cell phone pressed to his ear. She looked around, the room and noticed that Aoife wasn't there, "Where's–"

"Went to get food... You think it was Connor's spirit that pushed you?" He moved a little more so that Riley could lift up more. She shifted herself into a cross legged sitting position.  
"I said, 'I don't know.'"  
"Okay, we'll get into that later. First, what do you think it is?" Sam went straight to his laptop. He flipped it open and booted it up. Riley looked at the window again and saw Dean looking back. His hazel eyes connected with hers, and he smiled softly. She felt herself blush profusely and looked down at the mattress.  
"Riley?" Sam said her name. She shook her head and went back to the task at hand, "A siren, well, at least a form of a siren. Aoife can tell you more information on it, but the gist is that it takes on the form of their victim's dreams, or, nightmares and feed off their soul. Their best victims are people who are sick and weak. They can get easier access to their souls that way."  
Sam typed something into his computer and stared intently at the screen, "Explain the whole six generations thing."  
Riley took a breath just as Dean came into the room, "What's up?" He asked.  
"Riley's explaining what she thinks the monster is," Sam told his brother without ever looking up from his monitor. Dean turned to the witch and raised his eyebrow at her. Riley told him exactly what she told Sam and watched his face go more and more stoic.

"They only have to feed every sixty years. The thing is, though, that they have to continuously feed for a whole year until they're done."  
The entire time, Dean nodded and stayed silent. Riley stopped her explaining and a deafening silence filled the room. The only interruption was Sam's typing and their shared breathing. She looked at Dean, and their eyes locked. Deep hazel eyes on deep blue... Her neck burned where Sam's hickey sat, another part of her skin burned. Mainly from memory—and not from guilt like the love bite.  
The hunter and the witch stared each other down. Their breathing began to sync, and neither of them realized that they were subconsciously moving toward each other. The room fell away around Riley, and all she remembered was the bathroom. Dean's lips so close to hers, his hands gripping her hip, and his nails breaking skin. Just like in the bathroom, neither of them made a noise. Neither wanting to ruin a moment that was so close. Of course, just like in the bathroom, the moment was ruined.

"Guys!" Sam's voice was urgent, and it broke whatever spell that was holding Dean and Riley. They both looked at the younger Winchester, who was staring frantically at his laptop. They ran over to him, Riley wincing from the suddenly elevation.  
"There're hospital cases close to Conner's, all of the children. One, though, could be ours," He pointed to a computerized file. It pretty much looked like Conner's case, except the young boy was still alive. Instead of a lapse heart, he had cancer. The trio read the entire report in silence and let it all sink in.  
"He started to get worse–" Dean started.  
"Two months ago, just like Conner." Sam finished for him.  
"Let's go check it out," Riley went to move, but was stopped by Sam grabbing her by the arm.  
"You're not going anywhere. We can't go right now anyway," He motioned to outside, and Riley notice—for the first time—that it was starting to darken. She frowned, yanked her arm from Sam, and stomped toward the bathroom.  
"Clothes." She held her hand out. The bag of personal items flew into the room and startled the Winchesters, who—honestly—should be used to it by now.

After a quick shower—and an even quicker post shower prep—Riley submerged from the dinky bathroom to find Aoife back and staring strait ahead. Sam and Dean were bickering with each other about some car thing...at least, Riley hoped that that was what 'Mercedes' was...  
"Ef...?" She sat in front of her soul sister, making sure to move the bag of food from her hand, "Ef?"  
"Riley?" Aoife asked, her sweet voice breaking and wavering. The young witch didn't move though, and that's when Riley felt the anger and sadness flow from Aoife in waves. That was also when the pain in her head broke through her skull, and she blacked out. Again...


	12. 012: Aoife In My Mind

Aoife wanted to reach out to her sister as she attempted to get her attention. She wanted to tell her just how scared she was—how tortured—how she felt like a captive in her own mind. How—without the warmth of her angel beside her any longer—she was vulnerable...alone...never to be pulled from the abyss that she was slowly sinking into.

"Ef...?" She could feel the bag of food being pried from her petite hands, "Ef?" Her sister's voice and deep blue orbs peering into hers gave her the strength to speak.  
"Riley?" Her voice was weak. It cracked, shook, and wavered as tears bit at her eyes. She barely noticed that Riley's eyes grew unfocused and her eye lids began to droop. As Riley fell backwards, Aoife bolted out of the prison that seemed to encircle her and wrapped her arms around her, easing her to the floor.  
"Rilez!" Aoife's hands quivered as a single tear trickled down her cheek, and Dean and Sam's bickering ceased.  
Dean dropped beside Riley, opposite of Aoife. Aoife's swimmy, chocolate eyes held his hazel orbs long enough for a brief exchange. Riley got hurt, that much was certain. Worry laced Dean's eyes just as deeply as it did the petite, mahogany haired woman, but Sam—who stood across the room rather awkwardly—didn't seem to understand the slight panic in his own brown-hazel orbs.  
"What happened?" Dean's voice was soft as he addressed Aoife, who seemed explosively on the verge of tears herself.  
"I-I don't know..." Her cracking voice didn't rise above a whisper. "She talked to be and passed out...I-I just–" Aoife cut off, her mind muddling, making her words fumble and stutter. Her hand covered her forehead, massaging her temples as a tension-filled ache began to build.  
Dean's hands raised soothingly, "It's alright...I guess I'll stay with her." He glanced at his brother spitefully, "You and Sam can go check out the house."  
Aoife nodded, stroked Riley's cheek softly and walked to the bathroom to clean up, a feeling of dread filling her stomach.

Aoife put on a dazzling grim smile as she stared into the eyes of Conner's parents, her hand holding out a badge similar to Sam's stating she was an investigator. "Hello, my name is Lydia Jameson. My partner and I are here to investigate the crime scene," She motioned to Sam as she spoke.  
Mrs. Miles stared hard into Aoife's eyes, a soft emptiness radiating through her own. "We are so sorry about your loss," Sam said, and just then, Aoife understood why Riley called him "Mr. Compassionate," "And if there's anything we can do—anything at all—let us know."  
Aoife flashed a beautiful, consoling smile, and they couldn't resist the man and woman before them.

Aoife walked through the house...alone... Sam was sitting with the Miles' in the living room, asking them questions. So now, Aoife was on her own as she walked toward the child's room.  
Her fingers lightly touched the door knob, instantly recoiling. Something evil had touched this place...evil... Aoife felt the hair on the back of her neck raise as fear bubbled in her stomach viciously. Her shaky, petite hand gripped the knob and twisted it, pushing the door open. A prickling began in her spine as she felt a darkness shadowing her. Darkness was flooding around her from both sides as she stepped over the door jam.

Just like any other child's room, she thought. Decked out in stars and planets, a spaceship play tent stuck in the corner... White and black, overflowing toybox at the foot of the bed that sat in the center of the room...right beneath the window...  
Such a youthful room, feeling so evil, but there was something else. A soft singing rang through her ears. How odd...she hadn't even used reveal to show the creature...a siren...the urge to move forward, mingling with the panging heart stuttering in her chest. This singing figure before her...it wanted her...  
"Oh sweet, beautiful Aoife," The melodic voice chimed softly, "Come, your soul must be so–"

"No!" Aoife's eyes instantly fell on the figure of a small child. Conner Miles.  
"You're–" She stopped, blinking a few times as if to make sure she really saw him.  
The child's eyes darted behind her as he gulped. A feeling of dread filled in her stomach as he spoke, "What's that...?" His childish lisp took her off guard.  
Aoife's stomach dropped to the ground, "You can see it..." It wasn't a question. It was a grim statement.  
"What is it?" His lip lightly jutted out and his nose scrunched up in the way they would if he was thinking really hard.  
"It's my nightmare..." She muttered. Part of her hoped he didn't just hear her...

Conner's eyes went to Aoife's face, "You know, you're real pretty..."  
Aoife's cheeks tingled delicately, a feeling of warmth spreading through her. She could feel the anger behind her, and fear ripped up her spine savagely. "Oh no—" The danger this child would be in were he alive and standing before her slammed to the forefront of her mind.  
"You're scared." Blunt, not a question, like Aoife's before it.  
The mahogany haired woman's eyes turned back to the spirit of the little boy, "Yes..." She whispered. Just like any other child, he didn't seem to stay on track.  
"Is your friend okay?" His eyes shined at her, innocent worry filling them, "I pushed her over and she hit her head real hard."  
Aoife's head tilted curiously—attempting to ignore the tugging that pulled at her stomach, "You pushed Riley?" The boy nodded, "Was it the–"  
"Why do you have that stuff mommy wears on your neck?" He was now in front of her, his spirit hands touching her neck. A cold feeling tingled her neck beneath his fingers.  
"Oh-I-uh-" Aoife fumbled with the words to tell him, "I got hurt–"  
"Was it by that thingy?" He pointed over her shoulder.

Her lips parted in retort, but no sound cam out. The child's lips drooped into a frown as the melodic voice began to fill the air. A chilling tingle rolled down her spine as the creatures anger stabbed into her. She doubled over in pain, letting out a pain-filled gasp.  
"You gotta run!" Conner's voice was urgent in her ear, "Quick! Before the thing that made me dead comes back!"  
Aoife's breath caught as her mind began to panic. Her heart pounded roughly in her chest harshly, her lungs aching as she gasped for air. She was all along...closed off from even the siren that tried to call her weakening spirit... She could feel the nightmare wrapping itself around her mind, locking her in an agonizing vice lock. Tension began to build in her temples, ravaging as it began to manifest itself as a headache. Loneliness crept up and settled itself deep in her stomach.  
Why couldn't she breathe!?  
Shapes and color began to spot her vision as Sam spoke, "Aoife? Who were you—Aoife!" Her knees buckled beneath her, his warm arms wrapping around her as her unconscious body fell limp.

Sam stared down at the petite mahogany haired woman's limp form in his arms, panic and worry ripping at his stomach.  
Sam hears soft footsteps behind him and a sweet voice that spoke. "Is something wrong Mr. Gale?" The deep, large scar on the left side of her face still made Sam advert his eyes. Motherly concern flashed through her eyes as they landed on Aoife. "Is she alright?"  
Sam wracked his mind, "Yeah; unfortunately, she is prone to anxiety attacks when we're dealing with cases with children," Compassion curiosity trickled through her eyes, "She lost one too...in a way...It was her baby brother, so she's kind of sensitive." Sounded close enough...  
"How horrible..." Mrs. Miles sighed.  
"I tried urging the chief to pull her off this case, but he wouldn't listen...sorry," He smiles grimly, "Not trying to bore you or waste time..." I'd better get her home." He sighed, scooping her up into his arms—she was surprisingly light.  
Mrs. Miles nodded and turned away, but not before Sam noticed the scar again.

Sam shoved open the motel door, the beautiful woman still cradled in his arms. Dean hopped up and Riley's face turned toward the door, her groggy, deep blue eyes alert.  
Sam turned to them once he placed her on a bed, "We either need to never leave her side or keep her here and under supervision."  
Riley stumbled across the room and sat next to her, "What—"  
"I don't know...I think something happened in Conner's room. Maybe the creature attached her..."  
"Or the two of 'em double teamed her..." Riley muttered spitefully. Dean deemed deep in thought, so he didn't offer an input.  
Riley shook her head, "I'll handle this one on my own."

"No." Dean barked firmly, "Between the two of you, we can't leave you alone at all. And I am damn for sure not letting you do it alone when it almost bested you once."  
"You two can't stop bickering long enough, and Aoife's out of it, so it–"  
"Damn it Riley—you are not going in alone!" Dean growled.  
"Dean, you don't have to be such a–"  
"Don't start!" Riley shouted, "Dean, Sam, either you call Cas or stay, then you can do whatever 'cause she's not staying alone, but I am moving on." She stated firmly, kissing Aoife's forehead and walking out.

"Dean, call Cas." Sam and Dean exchanged a grim look before glancing back at the door Riley just closed.


	13. 013: Riley Monster of Mine

She felt like a stalker, but, not a very good one. Yeah, the Impala was black and didn't really "stand out", but it still "stood out." Riley swore Mrs. Miles looked RIGHT at them whenever she said good bye to an officer, EMT, her neighbors. Each time her eyes cast over the Impala, Riley felt a cold chill on her spine. It caused her head to pound harder and piss her off even more.  
Not as much as Sam and Dean were right now. On the ride over, all they did was bicker. "Dean turn the radio down," Sam would complain, and Dean would blast the music as a response. "Dean, slow down," Sam would curse as Dean his the gas petal. Riley just wanted to slam their heads together to see if it'll make one brain or just kill them. She didn't need them on this job. All she needed was herself and no one else. Maybe if she stunned them she could slip into the house quietly and gank this fucker.  
She reached her hand out to touch Dean's neck, a small blue light glowing on her fingers, "That's it," Sam caused Riley to lose concentration, jump and end up sliding between the front and back seat, a very lady-like yelp escaping. She glowered at the roof of the car, her ass hurting. Dean and Sam looked back at her, and she saw Dean stifle a laugh. Shooting him the finger, she lifted herself up and got out of the car.

The trio walked up to Mrs. Mile's house, but before they could knock the door opened. Mrs. Miles stood in the door way with an afghan over her shoulders. Its deep blue, woven material made her eyes pop, along with the scar.  
"I was wondering when you'd be back," She looked past them, "Is the petite one okay?" Her eyes fell on Riley, and the witch shifted uncomfortably.  
"Yes ma'am, she's at home resting as of now," Sam answered the mother. She nodded and then stepped out of the way and motioned into the house.  
The trio stepped into the hallway and waited for Mrs. Miles to lead them into the living room, "My husband had to go to work. He didn't want to go, but I didn't want him around when y'all came back. He doesn't know about the world out there, and I want to keep it that way. Tea, coffee?"  
Riley sat down on the tan colored couch with Dean, while Sam took the love seat opposite of them. Mrs. Miles stood over the coffee table and looked at the trio.  
"Did...what?" Dean blinked twice at Mrs. Miles before asking what was on Sam and Riley's minds. Mrs. Miles shook her head and chuckled softly under her breath.  
"This scar wasn't an accident, not even close," She looked over their heads. the brothers and the witch stayed silent, waiting for her to continue, "I was twenty. I was going to college in Boston. I was a bit of a wild child, a bright mind with near signs. One night into the third semester of my Sophomore year, I went to a party. It was in the middle of no where, and you had to walk off the main road just to get to the house.  
"I got turned around and couldn't find my way there. Trees were everywhere, and all I had was a dying flashlight. I think I was walking for about an hour before I saw lights. They were dim, but they were lights. I followed them, yelling out for help, when I heard a growl-like noise coming from the woods. I began to run toward the light when something grabbed me. It was strong, really strong, and it smelled like fresh blood and wet fur. I fought against it, kicking and screaming. It grabbed my neck but I ducked and its claws caught my face. I took that opportunity to bite down on its palm, and it screamed and let go. I began to run, only slowing to try to get a look at my attacker." She stopped dead and poured some coffee into a blue mug with a child's hand print on it.

Riley touched her temple and rubbed it softly, trying her damnedest to get rid of the throbbing pain. A warm hand cupped her knee, and an odd sense of relief flooded her. She looked out of the corner of her eyes. Dean was still looking at Mrs. Miles with a stoic expression.  
Sam looked at the scar dead on for the first time, "Mrs. Miles—were you attacked by a werewolf?"  
Mrs. Miles gave Sam a sad smile and took another drink of her coffee before answering, "Yes."  
The room fell into a ringing silence. The temperature dropped.  
Riley felt her blood chill, and she could barely breathe. Connor Miles was standing right in front of her. His blue eyes were faint and left a painful ache in Riley's heart. "I'm sorry 'bout your head. I didn't mean to push you down." He reached out to touch Riley's head, and she was shocked to be able to FEEL Connor's hand on her scalp. She could barely move, and she felt like a complete idiot. It's just a ghost...yeah...but a child's ghost. One whose life was taken from him to feed a creature of evil. Something that doesn't belong in this world, something like Aoife's creature.  
Connor's eyes grew wide, and he backed away from Riley. Riley could still feel his cold fingers on her scalp, and it fueled the anger and loathing inside her. She could almost feel the death of this monster that killed Conner on her fingertips. Her vision went a hazy shade of red and the usual pull of magic in her stomach. She wanted to lash out and destroy. To destroy every God forsaken creature that walked this Earth an–

"Riley?" Dean was standing over her with a twisted frown. His left hand was behind her head and his right on her wrist. Riley looked past his eyes and saw the ceiling. Was she on the floor...why was she on the floor?  
"Why am I on the floor?" She lifted herself up, only to end up leaning against Dean as her head began to swim.  
"Dean?"  
"You just blanked out on us, then Mrs. Miles teacup burst, and you passed out." He ran a hand through her hair softly. Riley noticed Sam and Mrs. Miles were missing.  
"Where are–" Dean kissed Riley, and it felt like her world was spinning off its axis. She kissed him back and felt a zoo burst to life in her stomach. Dean twisted them so that Riley was in his lap and he was against the couch. It felt like the fourth of July; fireworks were exploding, and music was blasting. A deep twisting filled her body and set fire in her heart. She pulled away long enough to take a breath, also for Dean to laugh a manic, crazed laugh.  
A dark chill made its way up her spine as Dean's eyes went from their beautiful hazel to black with irises of white, "It's nice to know I can fuck with your mind as well. This is so refreshing!"  
"You're-"  
"Boo!" The creature began to laugh as the world spun around again, and again until—

Sam looked at the scar dead on for the first time, "Mrs. Miles—were you attacked by a werewolf?"  
Mrs. Miles gave Sam a sad smile and took another drink of her coffee before answering, "Yes."  
"You never told your husband," Sam inquired. Riley looked at the youngest brother then to Dean, whose hand was still on her knee. No one had moved from their position and no one gave any indication that they noticed Riley have a mental break. They were exactly the same, even their breathing didn't change.  
"David wouldn't believe me. He doesn't even believe in God, yet alone a creature you read about in horror books. Now, I want to move to a more important topic. What killed my Conner." Wow, score for Mrs. Miles, straight and TO. THE. POINT. A deep voice whispered in Riley's mind. She shook her head and forced a blocking spell on her mind.  
"Actually, Riley here, has a theory." Dean motioned to the witch. Riley forced a normal smile and looked at Mrs. Miles. The mother caught her eyes and held them without blinking.  
Riley held still, "I think it's a creature called a seren, with an 'e'. It's like a siren, but it feeds on souls. They prefer children's and the souls of the weak...Conner was, in their way, a perfect target. He had a sickness, and he was a child." Riley watched Mrs. Miles eyes begin to redden, and a tear fell from each. She stayed still though, not once breaking eye contact.  
"How do you kill it?" Score: two, the voice yelled again.  
"You have to get it at a weak point, so when it's feeding or right before it feeds..." the voice was laughing in the back of her mind, and it was sending deep chills down her body.  
Go the fuck away, She inwardly cursed. It laughed louder: Nah, I'm good.  
"So we have to catch it at a time when it's feeding or before it's feeding," Mrs. Miles nodded her head slowly and placed the coffee cup on the table, "So, how do we know who it's going to attack next?"

Riley, Dean, and Sam all reacted by talking at once, "We!? Woah, there is no we–"  
"It's me, Sam and-"  
"It's just me."  
"The hell it is!" Dean barked at Riley. The witch's deep blue eyes narrowed into slits as she glared the eldest Winchester brother down.  
"What?"  
"You're not doing this alone, not with your head injury–"  
"You've fought through worse, with worse!"  
"That's different!"  
"Really? How? Please explain for the audience because none of us see how it's different!" With that, Dean fell silent and just stared at Riley. His mouth was in a tight line and his jaw was locked. The pair stared each other down until Mrs. Miles coughed and drew their attention back to her. The mother had an eyebrow raised at the two, and she tapped her fingers along the arm of the chair.  
"Are you sure you aren't married be–"  
"NO!" Both Dean and Riley stopped her before she could finish. Mrs. Miles held in a laugh and then turned to Sam almost like she were saying 'you seem to be the only sensible one here.'  
"Now, how do we kill it?"

The house looked still, very, very still. It felt like the world stopped for a slow heartbeat and just never sped up. The wind chimes didn't sway in the breeze, and the two black labs in the back never barked. It was perfectly still and the perfect time to feed...

"Cut off its head?" Mrs. Miles gave Sam a disgusted look. Sam spread his hand out, palm up, trying to show his innocence.  
Mrs. Miles shook her head, stood up and walked over to the fire place. A large picture hung in an ornate picture from. A built man with a squared jaw stood still with his arm around a woman who looked like Mrs. Miles, just happier. Mrs. Miles' hand was on the shoulder of a little boy with sweet dimples and his father's curly brown hair. He grinned cheekily at the camera, and you would have never guessed that he was sick or dead. The Miles family looked like a REAL family.

"Mrs—"  
"Margaret, please..." Her voice sounded small and husky from tears.  
Sam stuttered but spoke clearly to the broken mother, "We can hunt it down by using another child patient. This...thing doesn't just feed one at a time." He fell silent and let his words sink in. Dean and Riley did the same. No one spoke, no one even moved. The only sound was Mrs. Miles trying to hide her sobs. Riley watched her shoulders shake and suddenly a wave of pain hit her. Memories of the night she woke up to find her mother gone. She can see her parents' room lit up by their t.v., she could see their bed completely bare...when she knew her mother had been lying in it. Standing up, Riley stepped towards Mrs. Miles, and placed her hand on her shoulder. The mother turned into her and fell into Riley's arms, sobbing against her chest and shaking with tremors.  
"Ma'am, we will kill this thing, we will... We just need to know who-" Mrs. Miles froze, and so did the room. Riley feared it was the creature messing with her mind again. She didn't want to react again, didn't want to give it the pleasure.  
Oh darling, this isn't me, The voice rocked Riley to the core.

"Mommy," Connor's voice broke the room. Everyone, at once, turned to see the little boy at the foot of the stairs. At least, Riley saw him at the foot of the stairs. She noticed that Dean, Sam, and Mrs. Miles didn't look directly at Conner, but at a place near him. She looked at the little boy again and there he was, right there, as clear as day.  
"Mommy!" Conner yelled out. Mrs. Miles gasped and did a 300° around the room looking for her son, looking for her baby boy.  
"Mommy, you can't see me, "His child like voice was sure and positive. Conner knew his mother couldn't see him, and Connor knew why.  
"Conner, sweetie, baby where are you? Make a noise so I can look at where you are," She was talking through her tears. She gripped Riley so tightly that the witch felt her circulation cut off.  
"Ask the blonde lady, Mommy," Conner gave Riley a cheeky grin that disappeared when Mrs. Miles looked to where Riley was looking.  
"Oh—Conner, baby, I'm so sorry this happened." She was crying so hard that her tears choked her voice. Riley continued to hold the mother and stare at Conner. The little boy watched his mom with a twisted, grim expression. He stepped forward and walked right up to his Mother. He reached his arm out and let his hand brush his Mother's cheek. Mrs. Miles gasped and reached up to touch her goose bumped skin.  
Conner looked to Riley then and with a face that no six year old should wear, he said, "I know who the monster will go after next."

The door to Machaela Maxwell's bedroom was wide open. Her tangled red hair sprawled across her pillow and her baby doll lie on the floor. She was wrapped inside a Cinderella blanket and her Disney Princess night light glowed beside her bed.  
"Oh little angel, so tasteful and pure. Sweet little life you will have not more..." She didn't stir, she didn't fidget. Machaela continues to sleep as the monster sung over her head. His long fingers touching her soul and sighing with pleasure as it began to feed.  
A tingle caught the monster off guard as it felt a new magic fill the air. A sleeping spell was put on this house, and someone was intruding on its feed. The Seren lifted its dark head only to see a man swing a blade and cut it off.

"They won't remember anything," Riley said to Mrs. Miles while hugging the mother. Mrs. Miles smiled softly and thanked Riley and the boys one more time before seeing them off.  
You let Dean get the kill, the voice growled.  
Suck a dick! Riley snapped. The creature laughed once more before expelling from her mind. The witch clenched her fists and stomped toward Dean and Sam.  
"Everything alright?" Dean asked her. She shrugged.  
"Let's just get back to Aoife and Cas, and find Sydney's ass. I want this thing gone...NOW."


	14. 014: Aoife Awkward Silence

Aoife shivered, the cold embrace of darkness draping over her shoulders. Damn this creature, she couldn't even get a good night's sleep without its bloody hands gripping her and yanking her into a dark oblivion, of which she thought she's never escape.  
Why couldn't this thing just leave her alone!? What had she done to deserve such corruption in a creature of her mind? Yes, maybe her childhood was riddled with the anxiety and the emotional devastation called hunting, but it shouldn't still be haunting her. It should have given up long ago...it just kept coming back...  
"Shh..." A soft demented voice cooed. "You are in no danger."  
That's a lie... She retorted boldly. Everyone—herself included—that seemed to cross her path was in eminent danger while this creature loomed over her shoulder, poised to strike. This creature was a predator, feeding off of any negative feeling she's ever had.  
"A lie?" A chuckle resonated through its dark voice. "I wouldn't be forced to take such action if you would just accept me. Let me in, let me make you a part of me forever..."  
Aoife mentally shook her head, trying to clear it and dispel the creature's words. She could not let it in...If it didn't ruin her, it would destroy everything...Everyone she loved...She felt her heart ache, knowing that—without Riley's strength or Castiel's addictive warmth—she was a prisoner within her own mind. This parasite would just keep returning until she let it in. And when she let go, this monster would ravage her and leave nothing but a shell of what was once the beautiful, mahogany haired woman lying helplessly curled into a ball on her bed.

Aoife felt as though no one could pull her from this eternal nightmare. This creature's embrace was odd, an eerily familiar feeling radiating through the undercurrent. Its actions were so human, so unnervingly gentle. As though it knew she had just gotten a slight glimmer of hope, and it decided to destroy it. She hadn't had a moment's peace since the motel room had been caught on fire. Or even when it tap danced on her mental psyche...  
But what was this deep, settled uneasiness that prickled down her spine? It was a projection of false warmth and hidden intentions. One that would even force the hunter in Aoife to run. To flee...to run before it was all too late...

Aoife's eyes fluttered open as that oddly addicting warmth flowed into her from her right side. Her heavily lidded eyes traveled to the handsome angel sitting beside her bed. His soft blue eyes were intensely settled on her face and her petite, curled up form.  
She shakily—though she didn't want to—tore her eyes from his and uncurled her body. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, her eyes scanning the room. Riley and the boys were no where to be seen. Panic jolted through her, making her bolt into an upright position.  
"W—" Aoife stuttered, her eyes owl wide.  
"They are finishing this hunt." The dark haired angel stated bluntly.  
"Why didn't—" Her voice cracked and broke as it rose in octave.  
"They insisted that you needn't be bothered." He stated simply.  
Aoife felt realization dawn. Riley tried to do it alone, so the boys refused to leave her. She had a bad habit of it, and her creature must have affected her and amplified it in some way. Then another realization sent a warm tingling to her cheeks. "Have you been here the entire time...?" Her normally strong voice grew timid and quiet.  
His unearthly eyes were fathomless and blunt as he answered, "Yes."  
Aoife's stomach fluttered, an embarrassed twinge floating through her. "H-how long...?" She swallowed hard.  
"The creature is still haunting you." Once again, blunt. Aoife's eyes dropped as she nodded. The cold, tingling fear began to creep down her body again.  
And Aoife felt alone again... Nothing touched her. She didn't hear Castiel stand from his seat. She barely felt his hand on her shoulder. She barely felt the warmth radiating from beneath his palm. The feeling that latched itself to her heart...

Aoife's heavy lids fluttered open slowly, her hazy brain attempting to make sense of what just happened. Has she just fainted?  
"W-w—" She stuttered. Her stuttered were drawn out, slow. Her reflexes seemed as though they were turned off. This made her feel so vulnerable. Her arms were slow, groggy as she rubbed her eyes.  
"Aoife, you must be cautious." Castiel's gruff voice warned, "You are weak." A heat flooded through her as he spoke. This unexplainable intensity filled her chest and shoved off the cold emptiness.  
A growl of irritation filled her, but she ignored it, "Say something." Her order was slightly slurred.  
"What?" Warmth bubbled in her chest.  
"More..." She muttered.  
"What...? I don't–" His head tilted. Again, more heat.  
"Keep talking." Her order came out as a soft plea, not nearly as strong as she would have wished.  
"Aoife..." The way her name rolled off his tongue...It sent a dancing through her that pushed away the darkness.

A howl of rage and fury ripped her.  
"Aoife!" A warning, but that one word sent it away, almost banishing it from her mind.  
"It left!" Aoife squeaked. Surprised layered her tone as a hysterical laugh escaped her lips. She ran her fingers through her hair, a stress-filled motion of relief.  
"It...left?" Castiel was closer now to her than he'd ever been, his eyes peering intensely into hers. Dean often had this problem with Cas on personal space, but she didn't. In fact, hers was the opposite, he would hardly get close to her.  
This always put her out, but when Dean explained a little about his vessel, she understood. His vessel was married, and no matter what draw she felt, that would always put a wall between them. Something was holding them back on both parts, and she knew exactly what they were...

Aoife knew her beast of torment was lurking around every corner, awaiting the joyous moment when she would drop her guard. No matter what she did, she couldn't help the drooping of her eyes now. That spine prickling foreboding that kept her wired with anxiety was currently gone, and her mind began to relax as her body unwound. Her panic-filled tension eased and sent her mind into a calm, groggy stupor.  
"Aoife?" His voice barely registered, and the tiny shift to look up at his face made a wave of blurry fatigue across her vision.  
His voice sent a giddy wave of happiness through her, "Cas..." She felt drunk, loopy as the world around her floated out of focus. "So...tire—" A quick motion and she could feel a pair of warm arms encircle her. Then, again, nothing...

Castiel braced the petite woman in his arms. The dark presence has seemed to vanish mysteriously.  
How strange...It had not disappeared. No, not completely... This being of dreams had not vacated Aoife's psyche. It had left temporarily, to torment the others no doubt.  
Now the mahogany haired woman lay in his arms, her mind having crashed from pure exhaustion. She must have been spending all of her energy fighting it. Even in her sleep—her face once pulled taut in anxiety—she was ready to fight.  
As he lay her on the bed, all of her hair fell out of her—now serene—face. Her face was absent of any makeup—which was peculiar for her—bringing her unpolished beauty to the surface. An odd feeling swam through his stomach, sending a weird flittering into his heart.  
This oddly foreign feeling felt familiar. Similar to what his gracious vessel felt about his wife. Similar to what Dean seemed to feel for Riley—though he denied it. Was it what they called love? Or was it physical attraction...? That was a human emotion... Wasn't it?  
His head tilted to the side. A slight film covered the potential for intensity in his fluttering stomach. This girl... She was no less human and no more. Why was this human woman—truly a child in comparison to his true age—making him feel so odd? Yes, she was indeed beautiful, and she was quite different from most humans. She didn't seem to fear or revere the same things, nor did she suffer from the inane hubris that plagued all of mankind. Or if she did, she had great self control and enacted it often. This girl, both attractive in mind and body, held him as he watched her sleeping form.

Even Riley, in all her hard-headed, stubbornness, had a charm to her. Though, even if she didn't want to admit it, this creature had a profound effect on her. Aoife was right, in many ways, to worry about her sister of the soul. She had a tendency to rush into things—whether she knew how to deal with the pest or not. And if she needed help, she refused to admit it.  
This, Castiel suspected, was due to the odd effect that Aoife's creature had on her. It seemed to fuel her desire to hunt alone—which most likely manifested from her unnatural desire to protect Aoife.

There were times when Castiel contemplated checking on Dean's progress, but then his thoughts would return to the peacefully sleeping woman beside him. If he left, the creature would be sure to return and destroy any peace-of-mind she once had. She was finally sleeping...resting her heavily lidded eyes... He had barely notice the dark rings that hung beneath her eyes before; and now, they stood out more than ever.

In the distance, Castiel could feel a power similar to Aoife's approaching. The presence behind it was different though... There was an undercurrent of persevering loyalty and an exterior of hardened determination. There was the sound of a car, then, it was silent.  
"Riley!" Sam called out, "Wait—Slow down woman!" Cas didn't hear her reply, but he knew it must have been an obscene hand gesticulation.  
The door knob turned, and the thin, white/blonde haired woman rushed in, "Aoife!"  
Her deep blue orbs scanning the room, they barely brushed over a slightly startled Angel. She rushed over to her sister's calmly sleeping form.  
"Oh, Aoife..." She sighed. She sat down next to her sister stroking her hair, "Damn, even when you're being stalked by a fucking crazy ass demon from your fucked up mind, your hair is still softer than mine..."  
"That's what you focus on...?" Dean muttered.  
Riley mocked him childishly.  
"Riley." She mocked him again, "Riley!"  
"Fine!" She snapped crossing her arms.  
"This is going to be a long day..." Sam muttered.

Later that night, Aoife's eyes softly drifted open. Cas was no longer next to her. He sat across the room with the others, speaking in hushed voices.  
"The sooner we find Sydney, the better..." Sam sighed, "I don't know about you, but I'm sick of this damn thing popping up every time we turn around."  
"You just said it," Dean muttered, "We need to FIND her." His jaw was tensed in a stressed way as he ran his hand through his short auburn hair.  
"I think I have an idea on where to look next." Riley muttered, rubbing her temples, "We need to return to Shelbyville." Aoife held in her gasp of surprise. She hadn't hear that name since she'd left it behind seven years ago.  
"Shelbyville?" Sam's confusion marked his face.  
"Our home town." Riley muttered in brief explanation.  
"Why?" Dean asked, raising a brow.  
"Connor told me to go home if I wanted to find the 'red one'," Riley shrugged, "So I assumed he meant Sydney." Aoife suppressed a soft laugh.  
"You know... come to think of it, we don't know what your friend even looks like." Sam stated.  
"You'll know her when you see her." Riley laughed humorlessly.  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Dean muttered.  
"Trust me." Riley sighed exasperatedly.

After a couple of minutes of silence, Castiel spoke, "What is that your friend will do?"  
"Oh, he speaks!" Riley exclaimed sarcastically, "And he brings fancy words to the grown up conversation... Well Mr. Fancy Pants, We think Sydney can help us destroy it. We don't know how; hell, she might take it into her own mind and literally scare it to death... Her vagina may be a wonderful place to be, but her mind sure as hell isn't."  
Cas's head tilted and his mouth opened, "Don't even bother asking, Cas." Dean interjected, "She'll just confuse us all."  
"Damn straight." Riley muttered in agreement.

Aoife sat up as Riley glanced over, "Well, good afternoon beautiful." Aoife arched a perfectly sculpted brow, "Shut up! You. Are. Beautiful." Riley snapped.  
"Back to Shelbyville..." Aoife muttered solemnly.  
Riley's face dropped her playful grin and switched it for a grim line, "Yeah."  
"Alright." A feeling of dread wafted through Aoife's stomach. Sure she wanted to get rid of this thing, but she didn't know if she could face the town where she vowed not to look back to. The town that took everything from her—Shelbyville, Tennessee...  
A soft, dark laughter rang through her head. "Can you face it, my dear?" The demented being chuckled, "Can you face the ones you loved that reside there?"  
I have to, Aoife replied grimly, It is the only way—  
"Oh but it isn't—" It cooed.  
"It is the only way..." Aoife muttered to herself resolutely. A grimace pulled her lips down as the others looked at each other, uneasy written on their faces.


	15. 015: Riley Home Sweet Home

Aoife drove her jeep this time, instead of Sam. Which meant Castiel was riding shotgun like a puppy with her. Sam and Dean in the Impala and Riley in her mustang...alone...with her stereo. Which was probably NOT the greatest thing in the world. For some reason, all the country songs were about love. Sure, a lot of country songs are about love, but there's also truck, country, hot boys/girls, mama, sweet tea and funny songs too; Not this morning though. Nope! Every song that played was a ballad of true love, lost love, forbidden love, or—Riley's favorite—secret love.  
If it wasn't for the fact that Riley MOST DEFINITELY NOT IN LOVE, she'd think the radio was trying to tell her something. After the fifth Blake Shelton song, she finally got desperate enough to resort to her iPod, the mixed list. The list that was made by Aoife and was bipolar as hell, which explains a lot.  
"When I think about you/I think about–"  
"Hello," Riley didn't bother to turn down her music when she answered the phone.  
"What is that noise?" Dean sounded disgusted and Riley wanted to punch his balls.  
"That NOISE is Seth MacFarlane singing The Way You Look Tonight, wait, now it's Big Balls by ACDC."  
"Now THAT'S music."  
"Suck a dick, Winchester. What do you want?"  
"Only if it's yours, Blondie, and we're gunna stop for gas at the gas station coming up." He hung up and Riley stuck her tongue out at the cellphone. Dean thinks he's some big shot because he's got a nice car and pretty eyes...and smile, lips, voice, body and LIGHTMEN! Her mental voice verbally bitch slapped her. If it weren't for the lack of a sting, Riley would rub her cheek.  
"Stupid Winchester..."

She parked the 'stang next to Aoife's jeep and felt a wave of deja'vu hit her like a ton of bricks. For so long it was just Aoife and Riley. A third car never pulled up next to them, and an Angel never opened the jeep's driver side door for Aoife.  
"I need food. Wow, that sounded WAY too Riley." Aoife gave Riley a strained smile at her own joke. Riley wrapped her arm over her sister's shoulder and gave a little laugh, walking by Dean as he pumped gas into Baby. She didn't look at him but smiled and waved at Sam. The moose waved back and followed them into the gas station. The girls veered toward the candy isle, Castiel walking with them as Sam started toward the drinks.  
"Hey, Jolly Green Giant!" Sam turned to Riley, "I want a Dr. Pepper." He rolled his eyes but grabbed one from the fridge any way.  
"How are you holding up?" Aoife sidled up to Riley and looked up at her soul sister. Riley gave a feeble laugh, grabbed two packs of Twizzlers and Stride before answering her best friend.  
"I'm fine. The, more, important question is: How are you?" Aoife didn't answer her. Which, really, was answer enough for Riley. She touched her sister's arm and did something she hadn't done since they were kids. Telepathy.  
*Ef, be honest* Aoife's brown orbs caught Riley's and she sent back: *I could say the same to you.* Guilt riddled Riley to her very core as she dropped her hand from the petite woman. Aoife turned a smile on her Angel boy just as he stopped fondling the jerky.  
"Do you eat?" She asked. Cas gave her a stony eyed look but shook his dark head.  
"Angels do not require sustenance from food...what is this?" Riley walked away while Aoife explained the fundamentals of Beef Jerky.  
Guilt and anger surged through her as she made her way to the cashier.  
She has a point, The voice was back again. Riley mentally sneered at it before placing all of her items on the counter. She knew Aoife had a point to everything. That's why she was the good one, the smart one. Aoife made the points and Riley enforced them. That's how it's always been between the two of them, nothing would change that. Exactly, so wipe that pissed off mood away and put on you big girl panties; Riley blinked at how loud the voice sounded. Shaking her head, she looked at the kid checking out her items. He gave her a frown before saying she owed $10.80.  
"Thanks," Riley gave him the money then headed out outside, only to crash into a wall of muscle and leather. Cursing loudly, Riley made sure her lunch was okay before looking up at the REALLY HOT WALL.

Well the wall was actually a man with really pretty silver eyes. His jet black hair was short but tousled to perfect waves. Riley watched as his sculpted lips formed a word she couldn't hear. He had perfect masculine features, from the long black lashes to the chiseled square jaw, and those lips... Damn were they hot, and they kept repeating something.  
"Ma'am?" Even his voice was as hot as fire, "Ma'am?" Riley felt something bitch slap her brain into focus. With a very, very deep breath, the witch managed to say her name.  
"Riley."  
"Emner, are you okay? I didn't see you come out of the station." His voice was extremely deep, almost giving Cas a run for his money. The biggest difference was the Wall's was like a splash of water on a sweating hot day. It made Riley shiver as she felt it rumble through his body.  
"Maybe because ya haven't stepped back, smart one." Riley looked at herself and nearly stopped breathing. Emner and Riley were almost chest to chest, and da-yum, Emner had a very fine, chiseled chest, reminding Riley of Joe Mangeniello from True Blood—which made her flush...everywhere. Taking a reluctant step backwards, Riley shook her head and help up her gas station bag, "The product is fine, all is good."  
"The product sure is fine," Riley watched as his eyes traveled over her and Riley couldn't help but smile.  
"Damn straight the product is fine~" That was the greatest thing the voice said all day.  
"Thanks for your concern," She let her eyes travel him the same way his did her, and she was well satisfied with what she saw. "I'm just glad you didn't have anything for me to damage, Emner." She let her voice drop on his name and watched as he smiled, showing off two dimples to die for.  
"Small thing like you? Honey, you couldn't damage a fly." He was flirting and making fun of her and Riley liked it. Letting some of her magic flow, she touched his arm and let a small current flow. It was a witch's way of showing someone they were, for lack of a better word, electrifying. To a normal human, it was just like a touch that felt warmth then normal.  
"I'm bigger than I look," Riley smirked.

Emner let his deep voice drop, "So am I." Oh golly, Emner lifted his hand and was about to touch Riley's own, when someone grabbed her around the waist and yanked her away from the wall of sexy. Riley yelled in protest and wasn't surprised to see it was Dean that had pulled her away. His eyes were glued on Emner and a scowl was on his lips. The hunter looked venomous and it made Riley roll her eyes, but have to hide her smile as a giddy feeling rushed over her.  
Yes, yes. Dean's jealous, what's new? The voice was yearning to talk to Emner again, as was Riley. Dean's hand was tight on Riley's hip, and it sent a pulse through her.  
"Come on," Dean pulled Riley in the direction of the cars, and the witch refused.  
"Dean, you're being rude." The hunter pulled his eyes off of Emner and stabbed them into Riley.  
"Let's go." His voice was hard and strained, almost like he was keeping himself from going off on Emner. Riley cocked her head to the side and watched the vein in his forehead throb.  
"Let go." Riley pulled Dean's hand away and backed towards Emner. Dean's eyes flashed and the white/blonde haired woman could see the anger in his eyes.  
"Riley, we have to go," again with the angry controlled voice. His eyes were on her throat then to Emner, and she could feel the pure jealousy inside him. Could feel it ripple through his body and stir in his heart.  
"Look man, I didn't mean to flirt with your girl–"  
"I'm not his girl-"  
"She's not my girl–" Emner watched as Riley and Dean both glared at each other. His eyebrows were in his hairline and he couldn't help but smile.  
"Then, not his girl, I'm going to give you my number." Both pair, one deep blue and the other hazel green, shot up to look at the tall, silver eyed man. He already held a small card out so Riley could grab it.  
'Emner Gaines, eye for the magic.' The card read in big bold letters, the number on the bottom. A tingle came off the card and Riley stared in shock at it.  
"My cell is the number on the back," He whispered in her ear before he, finally, walked into the station. Riley was still taken aback as she pocketed the card. She looked at Dean and forced a smirk at his pissed off expression.  
"You think you're hot stuff." Dean remarked.  
"Nope." Riley walked around him and stopped. Her hand on his shoulder, she leaned into his ear and smiled, "I'm just hot."

—Six hours of MOTHAFUCKEN DRIVEN LATER—

The sign saying, "You have now entered Shelbyville, Tennessee," proved to Riley and Aoife that this was happening. They were here to find Sydney and get rid of this aggravating creature.  
"At least you get to see Gramma and Joe," Riley nearly peed herself. The voice now came from a body. Her body.  
Just short of transparent and in a billowy white dress, in her passenger seat. She didn't comment or let the fact that her voice had a body, in a dress, get to her. Going back to Shelbyville was torture enough, yet alone admitting she was as fucked as Aoife was. Her phone buzzed in her lap. Picking it up, she was happy to note that it was Aoife.  
"Ello, sexy beast."  
"Riley?"  
"Oh…hi Cas." Her face was beat red. He heard something being yelled in the background.  
Cas hesitated on his end before saying, "Aoife would like you to know that it alright to call me a sexy beast, for that is what I am." Riley's face was redder than her 'Stang.  
"Cas, you called for a reason…" Yes, anything to change the subject.  
Angel boy is sexilicious; Riley ignored the voice.  
"Aoife wanted to know if–" There was a muffled, "gimme," then her sister's voice pierced her ears.  
"Let's go to Gramma and Leo's, then we can go to Willow Mount…" Riley almost choked on her own tongue. Did her sister really think she was ready for that? It's been seven years, seven long, painful years since they've been there.  
"Ef, are you–"  
"I made up my mind about four hours ago." She sounded determined.  
"Ef–"  
"We're going, Riley." with that, the younger witch ended the call. Deep blue glared at the cell phone before throwing it into the passenger seat.

They drove past the Dairy Queen, where Riley and Aoife ganked their first werewolf. When they reached the Duck River Bridge, Riley had flashes of times her and Aoife would meet half way when going to each other's houses. Riley almost slowed to a stop when they neared Never Rest park; so many mornings spent there as a really little girl with her mom and dad. It was where she learned to ride a bike and where he broke her arm for the first time. She kept driving through, straight on to Wheel, a small (very small) town just off of Shelbyville where Gramma and Joe reside.  
It only took a good six minutes for the group to come in sights of large ranch home. A two story (not including the basement) blue house, with a wrap around porch and a barn in the back. It had a very well kept front yard, flower beds covering the foundation of the house. The back was at least two acres of well kept land, apple trees lining the perimeter.

"Is that what I think it is?" Dean immediately announced when they all got out of their vehicles. Everyone looked at him, while Dean looked at the barn. No one had a chance to respond before Dean, very manly like, pranced over to the blood red building. He stopped just beside a red and black, 1979 Harley Davidson chopper, his hands roamed the handles and his eyes went all dreamy.  
"This has to be the sexiest bike I've ever seen. I'd never cheat on Baby, but the temptation is so strong."  
Uh...da faq? The voice stood behind him, and Riley pretended not to notice her raising an eyebrow at Dean. Sam walked up to his brother and examined the motorcycle himself.  
"Your Uncle has good taste, Riley." Sam pointed out.  
Riley snorted, "It's not my Uncle's." Both brothers looked at the witch, their heads tilted to the side and their eyes wide, "It's mine." It was like the boys just woke up and noticed Riley. Almost like a baby realizes if it screams it gets attention. The brother's started asking questions that Riley didn't want to answer.  
"Aoife has a bike too." She pointed to the jet black FXDS Harley convertible. When the boys turned on that, dragging Cas with them, Riley and Aoife escaped into the house.  
"I wonder what they'll do when they realize we haven't driven them in seven years," Aoife inquired silently. Riley laughed stepping onto the back porch and feeling a rush of protective magic wash over her. Gramma and Joe kept the wards strong, just like Riley asked them to. She saw Aoife pause beside her, and she knew that she felt it too. They gave each other a look that could only called home sick.  
With a heart full of knots, Riley opened the door and stepped inside. The house smelled like corn bread and kitchen, at least, that's what Riley smelled. Stepping further into the back room, the room where she and Aoife practiced meditation projection. Riley stepped toward the wall nearest the door and smiled. Their was a soft ball sized dent from when she lost control and accidently made a flower pot slam against the wall. She ran a hand over it and grinned at the memory.

"Come on," Aoife called. Riley looked up to see her sister already standing in the doorway. The tallest soul sister followed the shortest out of the room and into the hallway, which was painted with splashes of colors. Riley and Aoife did it their eighth grade year when Gramma, Joe and Riley first moved in.  
"Glad to know they didn't change it," She said quickly, "JOE! GRAMMA!" She yelled. No response. The two witches looked at each other and shrugged. Neither felt trouble in the air and there was no left over-trace of hostile magic lingering. They continued down the hall and took a right into the living room. The blue and black plaid couch was still in front of the t.v., the blue arm chair was still catty corner from the couch and the black love seat opposite of the chair.  
No hostile magic, "GRAMMA! JOE!" Riley yelled once more.  
Before Aoife or Riley could react, an arm reached around Riley's throat. She acted out and reached her arm around and connected with her captors neck.  
"Stun," Riley barked, before the magic could reach through her body. The captor let go and began to laugh. Both girl's face turned stoic as they turned to look at the person.  
It was a man with short brown hair, small flecks of grey speckled through it. His blue eyes sparked with pure laughter as he grinned at his niece.  
"Not funny uncle Joe," Riley dead panned. The older gentleman laughed even harder before he sobered up just a bit.  
"Riley, honey, you still jump at every bump rump," He had a thick southern drawl that dripped from his words.  
Riley huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, "Where's Gramma?"

"Here," came a southern belle voice that Riley knew, and missed. Her Aunt stepped down the stairs. Her sandy blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail, and she looked amazing in a pair of blue jeans and a red blouse. For a woman of about fifty, she looked like a twenty year old in her clothes.  
"Hi, baby girl." She stepped up to her niece and wrapped her in a hug.  
"Aoife, dear, you haven't grown at all," Joe busted in and wrapped an arm around the shorter witch's shoulder.  
Aoife frowned at the man, "Yeah, thanks Uncle Leo." She moved his arm from around her shoulder. He laughed and slapped a hand onto her back.  
"Blondie, who are those two boys," Joe looked to the window and watched as Sam and Dean made their way up the porch.  
"Oh, they're Sam and Dean Winchester. They've been hunting with us and—uh—another friend." Riley went to the door and answered it. The brothers came in and stopped at the stairs. Joe and Gramma stepped up to the boys. Riley and Aoife both felt a surge of power and Joe reached up and touched Sam's shoulder.  
"Ahh!" Sam jumped back and grabbed his arm. Joe doubled over in laughter, grabbing at his sides and taking in large gulps of air. Dean snickered, Aoife and Gramma rolled their eyes, and Riley had a big goofy smile on her face.

"Josef, stop." Gramma said once Joe sobered up.  
"It's nice to meet you two." Gramma stepped up and shook Dean's hand. She reached for Sam, who hesitated before shaking her hand once. A smile pulled at Sam's lips.  
"Gramma, Joe, we're gunna drop our stuff off here, then we're gunna go see—uh—town." Gramma smiled at Riley and touched her chin.  
"Alright, go put your stuff away, then you can go. There will be dinner when you get back." Riley wrapped her arms around her Aunt and mentally admitted how much she missed this place.

**Took me five freaking hours to type this Mofo, but I got the heifer typed. You finally get to meet Gramma and Joe. In case you've forgotten—or we've forgotten to tell you—Aoife calls Joe: Uncle Leo.  
Leo: (adj/n) A term in which signifies a respected male witch.  
Riley used to giggle every time she called him that :D**


	16. 016: Aoife This City is a Grave

Her bright chocolate eyes were a somber, dead color as she gazed down at her brother's grave. Her mind and her spirit were numb as her eyes brushed over the name on the head stone—Oliver Nicklin.

"Hey, Oliver." She muttered, her eyes reddening and her voice cracking. "It's been a while. Seven years right?" She could feel the presence of her sister behind her, but even the strength that she radiated couldn't touch her now. "I'm sorry I don't visit more often, but I just—" An ivory colored, long-fingered, elegant hand reached forward and placed a bouquet of tiger lilies—his favorite flower—and she could speak anymore. Her eyes stung as she but her lip.  
"Hey, why're we in a cemetery?" Dean was beside Riley, "Ow! Hey what the—oh…well shit." He muttered, a grimace in his words.

Those words stabbed Aoife deeper than any knife. Even that familiar heat that now tugged at her right side couldn't ebb the flow of emotion that now poured down her face. A hand gently touched her shoulder. She glanced back at Riley, whose expression held gentle compassion.  
"I want to be alone." Aoife turned back to the stone, her voice barely a whisper.  
"What—no!" Sam protested, speaking for the first time.  
"Come on Sammy." Dean sighed.  
"Let's go Sasquatch." Riley muttered grimly. And then Aoife was alone…able to grieve in solitude.

"Poor child." She'd almost forgotten about the warm presence beside her. She glanced at Cas, something about him felt odd. She couldn't place it, so she didn't bother.  
"Your have had much pain and suffering." He muttered stepping closer to her. She wiped her tears eyes and turned to face Cas.  
"I-I'm alright." She drew in a shaky breath.  
"Yes." He stepped in closer, leaving only a foot between them. Her heart fluttered in an unnatural way, not how it normally reacted around him. She felt her senses go wild, leaving her with a feeling of intoxication. His fingers brushed across her cheek, exploring her jaw and tilting her face up to his.  
"C-Cas…?" Her cheeks burned, and her toes tingled. "W-what are you–" She swallowed hard as his fingertips wiped away a stray tear. His fingers left a heated trail that forced her stomach to flutter in an unnatural way.  
She peered into his heavenly soft azure eyes, "I don't know why I hadn't thought of this long ago…" Her senses told her to run, not to lean into his lips that were now leaning toward hers. This wasn't natural, and this wasn't Castiel. He was an angel of the lord, and he didn't diverge from that path often. Her lips began to burn with a fire that felt a though it could not be quenched. Her hazy mind told her that if she'd just allow him to caress her lips with his, they would be soothed. The hammering of her heart intensified as his lips drew nearer to hers, as did her yearning. Oh how she wanted to close that distance…  
Wait! What was she doing! Her hunters' senses were screaming at her to run, that this wasn't natural. That this wasn't Castiel…  
She jerked her head to the side, turning her face from this creature of temptation. "Tempt me no longer…m-me iam non t-temptabis…" She stuttered through her stammering heart.  
His gruff voice chuckled his her ear, "You're so caught off guard that you can even use a spell that should be so simple for such a high level witch." Her legs quaked beneath her, but she still stood. She could not let this thing into her mind. She couldn't… "Your attempts are useless, my dearest Aoife." With that voice, that body, those eyes, that form, she was a goner.  
She did her best to desperately think of something else other than the tempting angel impostor before her. Thinking of Riley, she shot off with a very Riley-esque response.  
"Fuck off!" His warm hand clamped around her neck, restricting her breathing. His eyes were no longer their beautiful sky blue, but they were now black with pupils of white.  
"You will be mine, even if I must use your Angel to do it." What would Riley do?

Adrenaline rushed through her as she balled the fist of her strongest arm. His hand tightened, starting to bruise her already lightly purpled neck. Aoife's fist jutted out and socked him right in the jaw. His head whipped to the side, jaw tensing viciously.  
Suddenly, Aoife was flying through the air. Sharp pain split her skull as she crashed through a smooth, brick wall.  
Aoife tried to force herself up, a searing pain setting fire to her body. Her head spun, a disoriented whirling throwing her into a stupor. Something warm began to trickle down her face from the right side of her forehead. Her petite, shaking hand brushed across her cranium and pulled it back. Crimson coated the tips of her fingers, instantly making her stomach queasy.  
Off in the distance, she could hear Riley's shouts. "Aoife!"  
Aoife lifted her heavy head to see the Castiel shaped creature sauntering toward her. A smirk spread his handsome lips as he squatted over her. "Does it hurt?" A current of demented pleasure courses through his words, ruining Castiel's gruff monotone.  
"Cas…What the hell are you doing!?" Dean's shout felt like it was splitting Aoife's skull.  
The handsome angel looked at the white/blonde haired woman and the man with auburn hair, "Boo…"  
"What the hell, Cas—"  
"You!" Riley exclaimed, glowering at him. "Castiel, you fucktard! Where are you!?"  
"What is…a fu—" A gruff voice answered.  
"That's not important." Riley sneered, slipping her sickle out of its sheath on her hip. "I am fucking sick of you, you stupid douche ass motherfucker!" She charged forward, diving at it.

The slightly distorted form of the creature grinned deviously, his hand reaching right through Aoife's chest. A searing pain ripped trough her, her spirit constricting as she felt the creature grip it tightly.  
"Sisto." He muttered, his voice subtly changing from its gruff monotone. Riley's eyes widened in shock as she froze in midair. "Eiecto." A silvery sheen began to envelope Riley.  
"Da faq—" Riley started, but before she could continue, she propelled backward violently.  
"Riley!" Dean yanked out the colt an began firing rounds into the creature. It grunted, laughed it off, and disappeared in a shadowy fog.  
"Rilez…" Aoife groaned. She lifted her heavy limbs to try to block out the bright light from above. Every inch of her smoldered like she had been lit on fire when she moved. If her body settled, every small movement set her ablaze.  
"Check. On. Aoife. You dipshit!" Riley growled pushing Dean away harshly. Riley pushed herself up, rushing forward despite the protesting of her body. She slid in beside her sister.  
Aoife's arms shook painfully as she tried to push herself up. Riley wrapped her arms around her, "Don't suffocate her Ri–" Sam was cut off.  
"With what?" Dean stated.  
"Hey—you asshat!" Riley flushed bright scarlet as she glared at Dean, punching his shoulder. "I'm not that flat…" She grumbled releasing her sister and gripping her breasts protectively. "I could smother her if I wanted to…" Dean and Sam gave her a look and she flushed, "I'm not going to!"

Aoife's arms gave out and her eyes closed. Riley's arms—or at least she thought they were Riley's; they felt a little big—wrapped around her. She could feel the swift, slightly painful motion of her body lifting off the ground. She could hear Riley's voice in the distance. She didn't sound that close…then… Dean spoke close to her, his voice slightly muddled by her now pounding head.  
"We need—back to Gr—and Joe's." His voice was dim.  
"Lead—way, Deany-boy." Riley muttered, her caustic monotone muffled. "Let's—go Angel—."  
After that, she didn't hear anything. The eerie darkness spread around her.

She began to slowly drift in to a painful tremor beneath her. Earthquake? No…Shelbyville didn't get earthquakes. Tornado? No. That rattled houses. Dean and Riley wrestling? No. There would be grunts of strain and shouts of anger, then Riley declaring that she'd won.

`Her eyes drifted open slowly, adjusting to the bright light up ahead. She glanced around her to see the backseat of her Jeep Wrangler. That's why she felt like she was vibrating…very painfully too. She glanced over the top of the seats. The back of Sam's head was visible over the back of the drivers' side, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. Her eyes—wincing at the sudden movement—darted to the seat beside her. His soft blue eyes gazed forward, into an unseen distance. His lips were set into a controlled frown, and his shoulders still and uncomfortable.  
Her eyes squinted out the window gazing through the blinding light to see them pull up to a gas station. Riley's mustang and the impala rolled in next to her jeep.  
"Why're we stopping?" Aoife's words slightly dragged as she tried to mentally shake the grogginess that washed over her. Castiel's eyes darted to her as she spoke and Sam whipped around.  
"You're awake." Shock layered Sam's voice as his brown eyes landed on her. Hmm…they were brown today. "How are you?" His brows knit together in concern and his eyes filled with understanding.  
"Fine." Her eyes drifted to Cas, swallowing the odd lump forming in her throat. Why was she suddenly so hesitant around him? Just because the creature could…it could take the form of anyone around her…Oh god. "I'm gunna get some air while we're stopped."  
She opened the door to her deep blue-violet wrangler and jumped out, walking swiftly into the Shell station. She could still feel Castiel's eyes on her back as he walked down one of the narrow rows full of ten to ninety-nine cent candy. She trudged to the back of the store, past the coolers, and into the restroom marked for females. By the time she reached the sink, her hands shook and her heart pounded frantically.  
She glanced up into the long mirror. Her scraped up knuckles were white with strain as she gripped the counter. The dim fluorescent lighting made the scrapes and bruises up her arms darker and much worse than in reality. The deep, bruise-lined gash across the left side of her forehead had been cleaned and bandaged the best they could for the time, and tiny scratches were scattered across her left cheek and her forehead. Deep, purple bruises in the shape of a male hand wrapped around her neck, giving her the appearance of an abused housewife. Aoife let out a shaky sigh. Is this what Riley felt like when she fell all the time?  
She turned the cold water on and splashed it on her face. She looked pitiful…even Riley never looked like this. Hell, she used to fall down the stairs at Gramma and Joe's all the time and all she got were a couple of marks. But if she stubbed her toe her entire foot would be bruised…Aoife on the other hand had tougher skin. She used to fall all the time and all she got were bumps or scrapes. Nothing too serious…and now—as she looked at her beaten form in the mirror—she looked sad.

A toilet flushed behind her and a plump woman with wispy ash blonde curls walked out of the off white stall. She walked up to the sink and froze at the sight of the petite woman next to her, easily a head shorter that her. She washed her hands as Aoife ran her hands through her own mahogany locks. She felt self-conscious as the woman glanced at her.  
"I know that it's none of my business, but I'd leave the asshole." She muttered as a white/blonde haired woman pushed through the door.  
"Actually, I plan on killing the bastard." Aoife muttered in spiteful sarcasm.  
"Well, darlin', there's a dump up on Unionville road, no one'll know." She chimed, winking an eyelid thickly coated in blue eye shadow before walking out.  
"I like her!" Riley chimed. Aoife smiled sheepishly at her sister. "So, you gunna tell me why you ran away from Cas like he had a disease? I'm pretty sure angel boy is an uber virgin, so he doesn't have any STDs."  
Aoife sighed, "I didn't run from him. I knew he was in the jeep the entire time…"  
"Aoife, don't lie to me." Riley rolled her deep blue eyes, "I grew up with you, so I know when your hiding. Now, be a man and accept that you need to talk."  
"Not now Riley." Aoife brushed past Riley in a brisk, graceful motion. Her stomach knotted and her head pounded with tension. Riley wasn't going to let this go. On her way out, she brushed past Dean and Sam on the way out gas station. Cas was nowhere to be found.

Her body ached, every small movement setting her ablaze. She walked to the drivers' side and opened the door.  
"What are you doing?" A gruff voice took her off guard.  
She jumped, her heart pounding as she turned to face Cas. "O-oh—it's you Cas…" His oddly addicting warmth radiated off of him the way it didn't seem to when her creature took the form of her beloved Angel. "I'm driving." Blunt.  
"That isn't safe. Your head–"  
"My head is fine." Aoife muttered, "I don't need rest, I don't need to be babied, and I damn for sure don't need you or anyone else concerned about me."  
"Aoife, don't be so stubborn." He stated bluntly, his heavenly blue eyes determined.  
Aoife's heart stuttered as he stared her down. This reaction didn't feel the same unnatural emptiness that it had when her creature had taken his form. It felt as natural as breathing.  
"Cas–" She protested. Footsteps approached behind her, but she paid them no mii  
"You're not driving." The youngest Winchester opened the back door for her. "Go on, get in. I'm not letting you drive in your–"  
"In my what? My condition? Why'd you let Riley drive in hers? Huh. Why is it that every time I get hurt its the end of the world, but If Riley damn near gets a concussion everything is fine?" Aoife ranted, anger slowly boiling over in her stomach. Her head pounded harder, reverberating through her skull.  
"Aoife, come on. It's not like that. Riley's wasn't that bad, and it isn't like you were in any better of a cond–" Sam argued.  
"Bull! I was tired but–"  
"No buts, even now your cringing at light, movement, even the sound of my voice…of your own voice!" Sam stated as Aoife winced at his slightly raised voice. "Aoife, just swallow your pride and accept help." He ran his hands through his hair, "Never thought I'd have to say that to you of all people. I normally reserve that for Dean and Riley…"  
Aoife opened her mouth in a futile effort to argue, but Sam cut her off. "Riley will back me up on this." White-hot anger surged through her, and for the briefest of seconds, she wanted to attack the youngest Winchester brother. This nuisance was really beginning to get on her nerves with the over protective crap. Her fists clenched, the familiar "push" of magic in her stomach and the taste of a spell on the tip of her tongue.  
"Aoife…" Castiel's gruff voice didn't reach her through her pulse stabbing through her head.  
She massaged her temples, the pounding beginning to grow overwhelming, "You've just proved my point." Sam muttered. He coaxed her into the backseat and closed the door once he'd buckled her up. "Was that so hard…" He slid into the drivers' seat.  
"Shut up…" Aoife grumbled spitefully. She could hear Riley's voice approaching.  
"Hey, what the hell was that damn power surge!?" She barked. "Do we want every damn creature in the state to know we're here!?" Sam whispered something to her so quietly that she found herself straining to hear anything over the god-forsaken pounding in her brain.  
"Dammit Aoife…" Riley yanked the back door open and Aoife winced at the sudden light, "Cas—" Castiel answered with a brief 'Yes?' before she continued, Aoife's eyes snapping to the angel she hadn't realized was there. "If her dumb ass keeps trying to act like me, I give you permission to do some Angel voodoo to shut her up."  
"Angel voodoo?"  
"Silence!" Riley pointed to Aoife, "You've lost your rights to argue!"  
"Yes mother." Aoife grumbled.  
"Hey, if I was yo mamma, I'd be a sexy mothafucka!" Riley did a hip thrusting motion with her body.  
"Where are we going?" Sam inquired.  
"Gramma and Joe's."  
Anger surged through Aoife again as she heard Dean yell, "Come on! Let's get this show on the road!"  
"Oh. My. God. Shut up!" Aoife snapped shooting a glare at her white/blonde haired sister. Riley opened her mouth but no sound came out.

Riley tried to say something that looked very much like, "Aoife, what the—" She stopped, noticing that no sound was escaping. She glared at her sister, "Aoife you bitch—what the hell!?" She let out a silent growl, "Fuck yoooou…" She growled soundlessly, her mouth stressing the syllables.  
"Sorry, can't hear you." Aoife sneered, slamming the door shut.  
"Aoife…" Sam sighed. "At least give her voice back to her…"  
"Sano." She muttered darkly. Riley's voice suddenly broke the air.  
"Aoife! What. The. Fuck!" She snapped.  
"Riley." Cas warned, caution layering his gruff voice.  
"What!" She barked. He said something into her ear quietly, and every voice within Aoife screamed mutiny. Riley's glare softened and turned determined.  
Her body tensed, green flames of envy rolling through her. Even the way Cas was angled away from the white blonde haired woman through the window struck her with white hot fury. Her jaw tensed, her teeth grinding together viciously. Nostrils flared, her eyes narrowing in irritation. His hand was much too close to her waist… If it got any closer—if he got any closer, she would explode.  
A look of shock crossed Riley's face as her deep blue orbs glanced at Aoife. Castiel's heavenly blue eyes sent a flutter of yearning through her chest as they landed on her too. Her head's pounding seemed to bounce around the cabin of her jeep. With a pop he disappeared. She sighed, the flickering flame of jealousy snuffing itself out. Why had she reacted so violently? Since the creature had taken a physical form, she hadn't heard from it since. Maybe it still had a lingering effect on her…maybe…

Sam hopped into the car, and guilt began to boil over as she watched the white/blonde haired woman walk away. Once she'd disappeared into the 'Stang, the guilt of how Aoife had treated her started to fester and brew a deep pot of regret. Why had she said all of that? It was too late to apologize currently, so she was going to have to sit and feel horrible for her actions. Now, it felt as though a veil had been placed over her and had suddenly been removed.  
"Sam…" She muttered quietly, her head was still plagued with the persistent pang.  
"Yeah?" He muttered softly.  
"I'm sorry," She rubbed her temples, the gash softly throbbing. "I dunno why I acted like that, I just don't feel like myself lately. I'm so sorry…"  
Sam's mouth formed a strained, thin line of a smile, "It's alright, Ef. You haven't really been yourself lately at all."  
"Do you think Riley is angry with me?"  
"Probably," He shrugged, "But I doubt she's as mad at you as you are yourself."  
"I agree." That familiar heat suddenly radiated from the seat next to her, making her jump and groan when she bumped her head. Her world had been sent spiraling.  
"Cas…" She groaned. Her arm was now draped over her eyes to block the light. Her cheeks burned as she thought about the Angel sitting beside her.

The rest of the ride rocked her into an almost relaxing half-sleep. No one spoke, the only sound that could be heard was that of the jeep accelerating down the road. Her tense body relaxed slowly, her once clenched jaw loosened, and the pounding eased.  
She knew they had reached their destination when the sound of gravel crunched beneath their wheels. She didn't open her eyes, not even when her door opened or Cas's arms lifted her out of the seat (at least she thought it was Cas, her senses were much too muddled in her daze to tell the difference). The soft motion beneath her didn't hurt the way it did before, it soothed her into an almost deeper sleep. She fought the deepened sleep as best she could.

She could feel the arm stretch beneath her to push open the door, and an audible gasp rang through the air.  
"What on Earth!?" A southern belle voice gasp.  
"You remember what we talked about over the phone?" Riley's voice was next to her, sending a jolt of guilt through her.  
"Oh dear…" A thin pair of arms scooped Aoife out of the arms supporting her. "It'll be alright, Angel boy." She really was related to Riley. Another twinge of remorse…  
The soft motion beneath her was just enough to rock her into a peaceful void of exhaustion.

The petite woman sat in an wooden swing in the back yard of a blue house with a wrap around porch. The swing could seat two people, and it was tethered to the limb of the tree by two slender, silver chains. Her pure, white summer dress was draped across the seat, flowing into the empty seat beside her. The wind blew her hair away from her shoulders as it whistled through the air merrily.  
"Yo! Short stuff," Dean called out from the back door, "come on! Gramma made pie!" Dean was such a fat kid at heart…though, who could blame him. Gramma's baking was to die for.  
A smile pulled up Aoife's lips as the smell of apple pie beckoned her through the open door. She began to stand when a voice broke her concentration.  
"Leaving me so soon?" The gruff voice said. Her chocolate eyes glanced beside her, catching a pair of handsome, sky-colored orbs.  
Aoife's head tilted curiously, "When did you…you weren't here a second ago. We're you?" She wracked her brain. He hadn't been there but mere seconds. She would have felt her heart swoon and soar out of her chest. She would have felt her pulse quicken and her mind stutter.  
"Of course I was." His blunt monotone was nonchalant as he stated her down.  
His gaze pierced through her, reaching into the depths of her soul. Her cheeks tingled as she glanced down bashfully. His hand wrapped around her hand, easily pulling her petite body down next to him on the swing.  
"Cas!?" His warm finger pressed against her lips, his other hand tilting her face up. Her heart stuttered unnaturally, pulse quickening and mind growing hazy. Her senses told her to run, flee before it was too late, but she knew she was his. He knew it too as he leaned in, stealing a kiss from her again.  
"Ef," A tiny voice within her spoke. "Aoife." it was a little louder. Now it sounded like Riley. A twinge of guilt slammed into her. Wait, why did she feel guilty? "Aoife!" Her chest began to hurt as his lips caressed hers. "Wake up, Aoife." The ache began to seep into her lungs. "Aoife! Wake up damn you!" Their lips parted suddenly.

Aoife woke with a start. Riley's deep blue eyes stared down at her. Her mouth was set in a panicked grimace, and her hands rest on her shoulders. The pounding in Aoife's head was just a dull ache.  
"You weren't breathing." Riley stated.  
"Oh…" Aoife looked down, wringing her hands together nervously.  
"You decide to talk to me yet?" Riley muttered spitefully.  
Aoife gazed into the look of reproach in her eyes, "About–"  
"I guess not." Riley pushed herself off the bed irritably. A pang of fear constricted Aoife's heart so suddenly that she couldn't control her hand when it clasped around Riley's wrist.  
"Riley—I'm scared!" She whimpered, her voice a hushed whisper.  
"We'll find Sydney, and we'll find a way to get rid of this bastard." Riley wrapped her slender arms around her, "l promise."

A few hours later, Aoife made herself appear presentable. They were going to go out and search for Sydney.  
"You be careful now," A southern belle drawl called out to them, "Come right home of your head starts to act up Aoife, dear." Aoife waved without looking back as she slipped into the passenger seat of Riley's mustang.  
"Any clue where Syd might be?" Aoife asked grimly.  
"Wheel, maybe?" Riley suggested.  
"Don't know, but I'm hungry." Aoife sighed, her stomach growling in protest. "Wanna have the guys meet us at MacDonald's?"  
"Sure." Riley grabbed her phone and dialed Dean. "Hey," She greeted, "You wanna follow us into town and meet us MacDonald's? Yeah…Kay. We can talk about what we'll do next. Yeah. Alright. We'll meet you there." She ended the line and pulled out of the parking lot, the boys following after.

When they pulled into the MacDonald's parking lot, they parked next to a flaming red moped.  
"There's no way…" Aoife muttered looking to Riley.  
A look of bewilderment crossed Riley's face as she looked at the moped herself, "Da faq…"

If this chapter is a little confusing at the start, there was a jump in area. Cas is not with them until Riley calls for him, and he left shortly after they first entered Gramma and Joe's house just to clarify that too.  
I didn't have to type this because I was smart this time and I used my iPod to type it. Yeah... I'm cool, or at least I think I am.  
Eiecto: (command) Eject, Propel ["Original Languages"/Latin]  
Sisto: (command) Stop [O.L./Latin]  
Sano: (command) Sound [O.L./Latin]


End file.
